Land of the Living
by niah1988
Summary: One month. Four weeks. Twenty eight days that will change her life completely. And it all starts with a strange dream... [BB]
1. Week 1: Monday

Author's note: You've probably read this before but this is my first Bones fic so please be gentle. I finally gathered enough courage to post it. You can't imagine how scary this place (the Bones section of Fanfiction net) actually is! I'd appreciate it if you left me a review. It doesn't matter if it's a good or a bad one. I'll probably like a good review more than one full of remarks on how my story sucks. Don't get me wrong though, I like criticism. Criticism helps someone become a great writer. So feel free to tear my story apart. But you know, do it in a gentle and polite way.

The idea of this story: I got the idea for this thing when I was listening to _Land of the Living_ by Milk Inc. Listen to the song and you'll probably understand where this story is going. It'll be about 5 to 7 chapters long. The first chapter is pretty … well, boring. It's sort of a long introduction. You have been warned. lol

Disclaimer: Unfortunately I do not own Bones. I didn't get them for Christmas. °sobs°

**- Week 1: Monday -  
**--------------------------------

It was Monday. Another perfectly normal Monday. Dr. Temperance Brennan slowly opened her eyes when she heard her alarm clock go off. She stopped the beeping with a swift movement of her hand. _Seven o'clock in the morning, time to get up._ Temperance got out of bed and walked straight to the bathroom to take a shower. After her shower she made herself a cup of coffee. She didn't eat or drink anything else. A cup of the dark liquid was the only thing she needed in the morning. She quickly finished her cup, grabbed her coat and rushed off to her car. Twenty minutes later she pulled up at the Jeffersonian. The institute looked the same as always: impressive and very empty. She was always one of the first scientists to arrive in the morning.

Temperance greeted the guard before scanning herself onto the platform. She overlooked her work place - an empty examination table on her left, a couple of microscopes on her right and a computer in front of her. She continued her way to her office. As always she hung up her regular coat and put on her blue lab coat. A small smile tugged at her lips when she closed the buttons. The second her lab coat was closed and her hair was up in a pony tail, she was no longer Temperance but Dr. Brennan. She turned into a scientist who examined dead bodies: writing down observations, discovering abnormalities and after careful examination, drawing conclusions. She was no longer a person, just an observer – a pure investigator. Just like her partner, Special Agent Seeley Booth. Only she investigated facts while he relied on his "gut feeling". She shook her head. Now was not the right time to think about her partner. Dr. Brennan was only interested in facts, not in the way Booth solved murder cases. Temperance made her way back to the examination platform. She emptied a box full of bones on the metal table and started sorting through the skeleton parts, trying to put them in the right order.

An hour later Zach Addy and Jack Hodgins scanned themselves onto the platform. Temperance briefly glanced at them. They both gave her a short nod. Hodgins went immediately to another examination room. Zach disappeared into his own office and emerged a couple of minutes later, wearing a blue lab coat. He sat down behind one of the microscopes. Temperance was still trying to put the bones before her in the right order. They were each working in absolute silence, completely absorbed by their work.

Fifteen minutes later, that silence was broken by a cheerful "Hi". Temperance looked up and saw her best friend, Angela, come onto the platform. The artist sat down beside her.

"So … How was your weekend? And please don't tell me that you spent it working!"

"That's exactly what I've done." Temperance replied, lifting up a short piece of bone. She examined the piece closely. Was this really a finger bone? She wasn't entirely sure, the bone was quite damaged. Angela decided to try again.

"So you didn't …"

"Do something with Booth? No Angela, I did not."

"You really should …"

"Go out with him?"

"Yes, absolutely sweetie! You two would make …"

"A perfect couple?"

"Yes, exactly!" Angela shot back, grinning widely.

"How many times do I have to tell you Angela? There is nothing between me and Booth. We would _not_ make a great couple. We're too different."

"Opposites attract each other. Besides, I don't think you're that different. You're actually quite similar."

"Angela, drop it. Please. I'm trying to work here."

Angela rolled her eyes but decided to leave her friend alone. Temperance wasn't really in the mood for talking. She never was when she was working on a skeleton. The artist grabbed her papers and left Temperance alone with her bones.

---°---

The rest of the day continued like this. Angela worked on her drawings, Hodgins examined some bugs and a weird fungus, Zach studied a virus and Temperance completed her skeleton. At seven o'clock Hodgins and Zach went home. Angela stopped at Temperance's office to say goodnight before heading off herself. She found her friend sitting behind her computer, tapping her key board.

"Working on your book?"

Temperance tore her eyes away from the screen to flash Angela a quick smile. "Yes."

"What have you got so far?"

"You know I can't tell you."

Angela smiled. "Well, there's no harm in trying."

"True." Temperance smiled back. "You came to say goodnight, right?"

"Yep, thought you'd like to know that you have the lab to yourself now. I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight sweetie."

"Goodnight Angela."

Temperance turned her head back to her computer screen. She almost had another chapter finished.

---°---

Two hours later, Temperance saved her file and turned off her computer. She grabbed her coat and headed down the stairs towards the exit of the Jeffersonian. She greeted the guard and pushed the door open. She got in her car and drove home. At home she changed into her pyjamas and crawled into bed. Temperance thought she would fall asleep rather quickly but tonight was different. Half an hour later she was still awake, lying on her back and staring at the ceiling. Something was bothering her. It had been another regular Monday. She had studied bones. She had discovered things. She had identified a body. She had done everything she always did. Why couldn't she sleep then?

It was _not_ because a certain FBI agent hadn't asked her to find out the cause of death of some corpse that she hadn't had a meaningful and productive day! Temperance groaned. Spending the day with dead people was what she always did. It was something she was good at. Studying remains brought in by an FBI agent was _not_ more interesting than studying remains found by archaeologists!

Besides, Booth always distracted her. She couldn't work properly whenever he was around. At least today she had been able to work undisturbed, like a normal scientist. She didn't have to switch between the world of the living and the world of the dead. Because whenever Booth was around, she always had to switch between her normal, living self and her inner scientist, the person who was good with bones. Otherwise he didn't understand a word she was saying. It had been a perfect day. Her inner scientist was happy. Satisfied with her last thought, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.


	2. Week 1: Tuesday

Author's note: I don't want to sound bigheaded but this chapter is more interesting than the previous one. But then again, that isn't so surprising since the first chapter was straight out _boring_. °lol° Once again I'd like to ask you, dear reader, to go through this chapter and afterwards kindly point out the things that need improvement. Thank you.

Thank you's: I'd like to thank _Howdylynn_ for her review. I've taken your advice. I've tried to put something special in this chapter. Also a thank you to _Paige Turner ME_. I hope you enjoy this chapter. _Jameni_, don't worry about your English. Mine is just as terrible. I'll try to make the story more personal so you can relate to it. I couldn't help being so thorough. I'm a thorough person. :-) _Writurchic_, I give you another chapter. Enjoy. :-)

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones. °frustrated sigh°

**- Week 1: Tuesday -  
--------------------**

It was Tuesday. Another perfectly normal Tuesday. Or maybe not. The alarm clock went off at seven o'clock. Temperance jumped up and fell right out of bed. She rubbed her lower back, letting out a frustrated groan. _Damn it._ She sat up straight and suppressed a yawn. She had barely slept. Absentmindedly she rubbed her forehead with the back of her hand. She had had the strangest dream.

--° _Dream_ °--

She was at the Jeffersonian. Angela, Hodgins and Zack were there. Booth was there too. She was examining a body brought in by the FBI agent. She was stating her observations out loud. The strange thing was that nobody seemed to listen. They were all talking with each other, not paying any attention to her. She tried shouting her observations. They still ignored her. Suddenly the skull on the table before her moved. A bony hand gripped her arm. Temperance was shocked; who wouldn't be? But then things got even stranger, and _creepier_. The skull's jaw moved and actual words started flowing from its mouth. Tempe's mouth fell open and her eyes grew wide. There was a talking skeleton on her table!

"They're not listening, honey. No matter how hard you shout, they won't listen to you."

She kept staring at the skull before her. _How was this possible?_

"I bet you're wondering how a skeleton can manage to talk. Don't question it. In a dream, everything is possible. You're also wondering why I'm talking to you and the rest isn't."

Overcoming her initial shock, she closed her mouth. She took a deep breath. "Yes, why are you the only one who talks to me?"

The skull smiled. At least, that's what Temperance thought it was trying to do. "Because you're the only one who understands me. It's that simple." She raised an eyebrow. The skull continued. "Let's face it, dear; you're no good with living humans. You've said so yourself; the best relationships you have, are with dead people. Yes, you may have "friends" but you'll never really fit in _their_ world." The bony hand released her arm and pointed towards Angela and the others to underline her words. "You'll never fit in the world of the living. You're meant to live like a skeleton, like me."

"No, I refuse to be like that!" Temperance grabbed the skull and threw it across the room. A mocking laughter was the skull's answer.

--° _End dream_ °--

That's when her alarm had gone off. She still heard the skull laughing. _Stupid dream._ She got up and went to the bathroom to take a shower. Fifteen minutes later she was on her way to the Jeffersonian. She greeted the guard and scanned herself in. When she looked at the metal examination table, fragments of her dream popped up before her eyes. What if the skeleton was right? Temperance knew she wasn't a person with highly developed social skills. Sure, she had terrific colleagues who happened to be her friends. But they weren't of the same kind. They didn't spend their evenings here at the Jeffersonian. They went home at seven. They also didn't work in the weekend. They went out on Friday evening, they spend time with their families on Saturday and with their girlfriends (boyfriend in Angela's case) on Sunday. She didn't do those things. She wasn't like that.

She must have been standing there longer than she thought because the guard was staring at her with raised eyebrows. He was probably wondering if she had lost her mind, standing in the middle of the platform staring straight ahead of her. Temperance shook her head and headed towards her office to get her lab coat.

An hour later the rest of her team came up the stairs. Hodgins and Zack gave Temperance a nod and disappeared to another lab room. Angela sat down next to her. Temperance immediately dropped what she was doing and turned to face the artist. Angela gave her a questioning look.

"Please don't start about Booth. He didn't drop by last night and I haven't seen him this morning." Temperance started.

"How did you know I was going to ask you about him?"

"You always do."

"Yes, but …" Angela tried.

"Never mind Angela. There's something I want to ask you. I need advice."

Angela's face immediately lit up. "Oh sweetie, all you have to do is wear something sexy and the man will be at your feet!"

Temperance frowned. "Excuse me?"

"I've heard Booth likes clothes that accentuate the female curves so perhaps you could wear a nice skirt and a cute top." Angela went on.

"Ange! I don't need advice about Booth! It's about something else. I need to know if there's hope for me."

"Ok, you've totally lost me there sweetie." This time Angela was frowning.

"I'm good at working with bones. But I don't know the first thing about working with people. I mean that I've never been _emotionally intimate_ with someone. I need to know if I'll ever be able to. I don't want to end up like the bones I examine every day. I don't want to be forgotten!"

Angela was quite shocked to hear those words come from her best friend. Temperance actually sounded a bit scared. "Why do you think you'll be forgotten?"

"I had this dream last night. A talking skeleton told me that I didn't fit in the world of the living, in your world."

"Hold on, you had a _dream_ about a _talking skeleton_?"

"Yes, I just told you! Please Angela. I don't want to spend the rest of my life in the world of the dead."

"You don't have to worry, honey." The artist took hold of Temperance's hand. "The fact that you decided to talk about this with me says enough. Yes, you aren't the most social person I know but all you need is a little push. Given by the right person, of course."

"You think so?" Temperance asked softly.

"Yes, I really think so. Don't worry about it."

Angela squeezed her friend's hand before getting up. Temperance watched her friend walking away. She nervously bit her bottom lip. _A push. Right._ Who'd want to help her improve her social skills? Who'd want to help her become a normal person?

---°---

The day passed too slowly to Temperance's liking. Pieces of her dream and of her conversation with Angela kept coming back to her. She was in her office now. She stared at the lab coat hanging before her. Her inner scientist had analysed the dream and had dismissed it as a stupid thing produced by her subconscious. But her other half just couldn't shake it off. The dream bothered her, even tortured her a bit. Temperance sighed and turned her computer on. Maybe a bit of writing would take her mind off the dream and everything it made her feel.

Temperance was concentrating so hard that she didn't notice Angela standing in the doorway. The young artist studied her friend. Temperance was staring at the wall before her. _How can I help her?_ Angela pondered. Suddenly an idea struck her. A large grin appeared on her face. _I'll help you sweetie. Don't you worry._ She cleared her throat to signal Temperance of her presence. The latter turned around in surprise.

"I didn't hear you." she uttered.

"You were concentrating too hard to notice me." Angela smiled. "How's the writing going?"

"Fine." Temperance lied.

"Right." Angela gave her an all knowing smirk. Her friend was a terrible liar. "Still don't want to share what your book's about?"

"You know I never do that." Temperance answered.

"Well, there's …"

"No harm in trying. I know." The two women smiled at each other.

"Well, I'm off now sweetie. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight Angela."

Temperance turned back to the computer screen. Angela turned around as well and left the Jeffersonian. The artist was smiling all the way. Earlier she had gotten a great idea. Temperance wanted to know what it was like to live like other people. She wanted to be a normal woman, not some cold scientist. Angela's smile grew even wider. She knew just the perfect person to help Temperance get in touch with her emotional self. _Tomorrow morning, I'm going to have a little talk with a certain FBI agent._


	3. Week 1: Wednesday

Author's note: Guten Tag! That's German for "Hello!", hehe. I just got back from Germany. I spent New Year's Eve there. It's a wonderful country, full of helpful and friendly people. The food's fantastic too. This trip awaked my sense for adventure. Who knew I'd love travelling? I certainly didn't! Anyway, here's the third chapter. :-) Auf Wiedersehen!

Talk to the reviewers: Thank you _Howdylynn_ for your compliment. I'll try to grow some more. :-) _Bella-mi-amore_, I hope you find this chapter as interesting as the previous one. _Writurchic_, damn it – how did you know I was talking about Booth. :-P °lol° _MadeOfStarts_, I was honestly moved by your review. The whole point of chapter one was, as you described it, to show how much of a cold and emotionless routine Temperance's live was. I'm trying to describe Temperance's struggle as well as I can but, what a coincidence, I find myself struggling doing so. The whole being-smart-but-misunderstood-thing is quite difficult for me to write about since I've had kind of the same problems. Anyways, I'll do my best and we'll see how it turns out. _Jameni_, you weren't harsh at all. It feels good to finally hear that being thorough is a good thing. :-) The story is indeed set in the early BB-days. I've only seen eight episodes so far, that's why. I think both Booth and Brennan are closed persons, but on different levels. But let's not get into that subject here. It would take up too much space. Feel free to send me a personal message about it though. It would be great to chat with you about Bones. :-)

Disclaimer: °rolls her eyes° I don't own Bones, capish?

**- Week 1: Wednesday -  
--------------------**

It was Wednesday. Another regular Wednesday, Temperance had wished the day before. Unfortunately her wish hadn't been fulfilled. She opened her eyes right before her alarm clock went off. She killed the beeping sound with a move of her hand. She hadn't slept well. She had dreamt _the dream_ again. The image of the skull trying to give her a creepy smile flashed before her eyes. The mocking laughter accompanied her in the shower and in her kitchen when she was sipping her coffee. It was pounding in her ears during the short drive to the Jeffersonian. She greeted the guard who looked at her a bit worried. Temperance knew she didn't look her regular self. Two nights of little sleep had drawn grey circles around her eyes. Shoulders slightly hunched she went up the stairs. "This is going to be a long day." her gut feeling told her. She immediately dismissed the thought. _Ridiculous. My gut can't speak. Sleepless nights result in little concentration and in a slightly distorted feeling of time. That's all. _ She shook her head and concentrated on the bones before her.

---°---

Angela confidently entered the building. She focused on the elevators a bit ahead. She was on a mission. Nothing could stop her. Well, the guard at the entrance could. At least long enough to make her flash him her badge. After writing down her name in the log, the guard motioned her to continue her way. Angela headed straight for the elevator. Temperance had once mentioned that his office was on the sixth floor. She impatiently tapped her foot whilst waiting for the elevator to reach its destination. _Someone should really invent faster elevators._ She breathed a relieved sigh when the doors opened with a soft ping. She rushed out and immediately stopped dead in her tracks. A mixture of shouting voices and ringing phones engulfed her as she took in the scene before her. It was only eight o'clock in the morning but already dozens of people were at the office, running around like beheaded chickens. _I guess it's true that the FBI never sleeps. No wonder he understands Temperance's workaholic nature._ Angela carefully stepped forward. She had a feeling that finding his office in this mess wasn't going to be easy.

She tried approaching a couple of agents for directions, without any success. They turned their backs or started talking even louder into their phones. Angela decided it was time for a more _subtle_ approach. She walked over to a tall blonde man who was studying a file. She cleared her throat to make him notice her. The man gave her the cold shoulder. A devilish smile appeared on Angela's face. She reached out and gave his bum a vicious pinch. Her action had an immediate and a quite hilarious effect. The man dropped his file and let out a rather girlish shriek. He spun around to shoot Angela a death glare, whilst rubbing the sore spot on his bum. The artist tilted her head to the side and simply smiled at him.

"I thought that would draw your attention." She received a short groan as an answer. "Now, could you tell me where Special Agent Seeley Booth's office is, please?"

"Take a left at the Xerox machine. It's the second door on your right."

"Thank you."

A minute later Angela was staring at a little sign attached to a closed wooden door. _Special Agent Seeley Booth_ the plaque read. Angela knocked three times. A muffled voice at the other side of the door invited her to come in. She turned the handle and quickly entered.

"Hiya Booth."

"Angela?" a surprised Booth answered. "What are you doing here?"

"Drop whatever you're doing. We need to talk. About Brennan."

Booth waved at the chair in front of his desk. "Sit down, please. What's the matter with Bones?"

"She had a dream. About a talking skeleton." Angela announced.

"A dream. About a talking _skeleton_." One of Booth's eyebrows shot up. "Tell me you're joking, Angela. Where's the hidden camera?"

"I'm serious. It totally freaked her out."

"Talking bones freaked out our Bones? You've got to be kidding me. I'd think she'd be excited."

"No, it freaked her out _big time_."

Booth leaned forward, resting his elbows on his desk. "So let me get this straight. You came here to inform me that Bones dreamt about a talking corpse?"

"That's not what's important. The point is that it tried to convince Brennan that she doesn't belong here. Which, of course, isn't true." Angela took a deep breath. She had to be careful now. What she was going to ask Booth was delicate and extremely important. "She needs help." The artist hoped that the FBI agent could read between the lines.

"Send her to a shrink." Obviously he could not.

"I mean she needs _help_." Angela stared him straight in the eye, hoping he'd catch the hint this time.

"Yeah, maybe two or three psychologists would be better. Bones would drive one shrink completely crazy."

Angela smacked her forehead. How could a brilliant crime fighter be so stupid? _So much for subtleness. Time for the big guns._ "You have to help her Booth. _You._ Not an army of shrinks. You are the only one who manages to get Brennan out of her shell from time to time. You are the only one she opens up to. And don't give me that we're-just-partners-speech. I've heard it before and let's face it, you're more than just partners." Angela held up her hand to stop Booth from interrupting. "I'm not implying that you're lovers, although that would make my day. I'm asking you to go out for a drink with her, as friends."

"We already do that. We go to Sid's after every case, remember?"

"That's not the same. You always talk about work." Angela dryly responded. "I'm asking you to take her out and have a more personal conversation. Ask her about her interests, about her likes and dislikes."

"You want me to ask Bones what her favourite colour is?" Booth sceptically answered.

"Yep, exactly."

Booth thought it over for half a minute. Finally he gave Angela a short nod. "I'll do it. For Temperance."

Angela happily thanked him and left his office a couple of minutes later. She had refused to help Booth work out a plan of action. Her opinion was that he could help Brennan the most when he was being his impulsive self. The fact that Booth had referred to his partner as Temperance brought a smile to Angela's lips. It had revealed a lot about Booth's feelings. Probably more than he wanted.

---°---

Half an hour later Angela arrived at the Jeffersonian. She found Temperance at her usual spot. The female scientist was so wrapped up in her observations that she didn't hear Angela sit down beside her.

"So when are you going to jump Booth?"

Temperance's head shot up. "Angela!"

"The one and only." the artist answered.

"You scared me."

"I'm sorry, sweetie." Angela gave the other woman an apologetic smile. "Now tell me, when are you going to get it on with Booth?"

Temperance rolled her eyes and decided to answer back with a question. "How come you're late for work?"

"I didn't know we had fixed work hours?" Angela retorted.

"You're never this late." Temperance stated.

"There's a first time for everything. I'm sure you've been late yourself before."

"Never. Punctuality is very important to me."

"Not even once?"

"Never."

"Sweetie, just wait until you spend a hot night, training for the SO. You'll be late for work without realising it."

"What's the connection between the Special Olympics and me being late?"

"Not the Special Olympics, honey. The Sex Olympics!" Angela could practically hear the gears turning in her friend's head. Suddenly Temperance's eyes slightly widened.

"Ange! How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not interested in having sex with Booth!"

"Who says I was talking about him?" Angela winked at her friend. "But just between you and me, I'm absolutely positively sure you two will end up in the sack one of these days."

Having said that Angela stood up and walked away. Earlier she had decided not to tell Temperance about her little visit. It had to be a surprise. Angela hoped that Booth would do something soon. Judging how Temperance looked today she must have had a difficult night. Angela picked up her sketch book and started working on the reconstruction of the skull on her table, all the while pondering what Booth would do to help Temperance out of her isolation.

---°---

At the end of the day Temperance was once again sitting behind her computer. She had tried several times to write another chapter for her book. After the fifth attempt to type a coherent sentence she gave up. Her dream kept bothering her. Temperance reclined in her office chair. Maybe she would feel more at ease if she let her inner scientist thoroughly analyse the dream piece by piece. She closed her eyes and let the images wash over her. She was at the Jeffersonian, on the platform, behind her favourite examination table. All her friends were there. Those things meant that the underlying message of the dream was something important. Something that related to her personal life and to her work. The fact that she was studying a skeleton confirmed the latter bit. The message of the dream was pretty obvious. She was scared that she would end up alone and forgotten. She was scared of dieing without having really lived, without having experienced real emotion. She considered the talking skeleton as a sick and frightening joke of her subconscious. Of course a talking skull emphasised the whole dream message, her scientific side reasoned. What bothered Temperance the most was that Booth wasn't listening as well.

An alarm went off in her head. Booth was her friend, like Angela and the others were. Booth not noticing her in her dream shouldn't prey her mind this much. He was her friend, nothing less, nothing more. Temperance frowned. A small voice in the back of her head asked her if she didn't want him to be something else. She quickly shushed the voice. _Let's take an objective look at Booth. _He was a kind, handsome and caring man. Although he could certainly annoy the hell out of her. He drove her up the walls with his assumptions. And he protected her too much. She was a strong, independent woman. She wasn't waiting around for him to save her every time she was in trouble. Still, it was nice to know he looked out for her. _Stop it, Temperance. Only weak women want a protector rushing to their rescue._ Her eyes flew open. _Booth evokes the desire in me to be vulnerable. He makes me feel like a normal woman. _A small smile tugged at her lips. Maybe Angela was right. Maybe there was hope for her after all. Temperance got up and grabbed her coat. She was going home early tonight. Like the others. Temperance couldn't suppress a large smile. _I should thank Booth for being such an alpha male with me._


	4. Week 1: Thursday

Author's note: It took me ages to write this chapter! I've rewritten it like five hundred times. I had some major trouble putting everyone's thoughts into words. Why? Well, let's just say that this chapter confronted me with my own emotional situation. The fact that I've been ill the last couple of days certainly didn't help either.

For my reviewers: _Bella-mi-amore_, thank you. I've tried to make Temperance evolve some more but I'm not sure if I succeeded. °worried smile° If you ever come across such a picture of DB, don't be afraid to share it! °lol° _MadeOfStars_, your review once again affected me. I'm happy that the dialogue was true to character. I'm hoping the following internal dialogues are the same. °another worried smile° I'm planning on including more 'outside interests' in the next chapters. _Sheliak_, I hope you haven't fallen off your seat. °lol° I tried to update as soon as possible.

**- Week 1: Thursday -  
-----------------------------------**

It was Thursday. Another Thursday. The fourth day of this very unusual week. At seven o'clock the alarm went off. The sharp beeping sound filled the room. A hand shot out from under the covers and pushed the alarm clock onto the ground. A loud crash put a stop to the beeping. Slowly the covers were pulled back. A pale face with tussled hair appeared. Temperance opened her eyes. She was in her bedroom. There were no talking skulls here. She practically crawled out of bed and into the shower. It took three cups of coffee to wake her up completely. The drive to the Jeffersonian took longer than usual. Temperance had to stop every five minutes to rub her eyes. She absent-mindedly waved at the guard before scanning herself in.

"Are you alright, doctor Brennan?"

"Yes Tom, I am." Temperance didn't bother turning around to face the guard. Instead she continued her way to her office. She knew she wasn't a sight for sore eyes. She had barely slept. The dream of last night had been even worse than the previous ones. Temperance shook her head. She didn't want to remember her dream. With a sigh she grabbed her lab coat. She had work to do.

At half past eight the rest of the 'Squint Squad' entered the separate examination room. They found Temperance there, staring with empty eyes at the skull on the table. Hodgins and Angela exchanged worried looks. Zach was the first to move. He took a step forward in Temperance's direction but his foot accidentally hit a box on the floor. The noise was loud enough to startle Temperance. Her head shot up and she gave her colleagues a bewildered look.

"It's not talking, is it?"

"What isn't talking, doctor Brennan?" Zack carefully asked.

"The skull! The skull isn't alive, correct?"

"The skull?!" both Zack and Hodgins exclaimed.

Angela immediately pushed Zack and Hodgins out of the office. She didn't want to explain to them why Temperance was acting this strange. The two men hardly protested against their removal. They were still baffled by Temperance's words. They had never seen her this confused. Angela closed and locked the door. She rushed over to Temperance, who had turned her attention back to the fleshless head before her.

"It's not alive, Tempe. This is not your dream." Angela softly spoke. She watched her friend massage her temples in an attempt to gather her thoughts. She wasn't quite sure what to say next. "You don't look healthy, sweetie." she finally said.

"Thanks for reminding me." Temperance dryly retorted.

"You dreamt that dream again?" Temperance gave the artist a nod. Angela narrowed her eyes and carefully scanned her friend's face. "Let me guess, the dream got even worse."

Temperance sighed and gave Angela a desperate look. Inwardly she debated whether or not to give Angela the latest update on her dream. _Who am I kidding? She deserves it. She's my best friend._ She turned her whole body towards Angela.

"Yes." she breathed. "The dream got even worse." A slight movement of Angela's head told her that she had the undivided attention of the artist. "I'm at the Jeffersonian. The entire team is there, including Booth. The skeleton moves and grabs my hand. But instead of stating that I'll never live like other normal human beings, it begins to enumerate all the reasons why people don't like me."

"Oh sweetie …" Angela took hold of Temperance's hand.

"It doesn't end there." Temperance interrupts her. "All of a sudden, Booth turns around and says that he agrees with the corpse." A look of pain washed over Temperance's face. "I woke up immediately, covered in sweat."

A full minute passed by. Neither of the two women tried to speak. They were both lost; Temperance in her thoughts, Angela for words. For one of the first times of her live, the artist didn't know if she knew the right words to say. Instead, she tenderly stroked Temperance's hand. Angela silently prayed that Booth would come up with one hell of a master plan. She had never seen Temperance like this, so fragile and vulnerable.

Temperance was silently over thinking her current situation. Here she was, at the Jeffersonian, next to her best friend, feeling the pressing urge to scream. She didn't like what that dream was doing to her. Yes, it made her loose sleep and yes, it made her loose her focus that she desperately needed for her work. But most of all, it confronted her with her own insecurities. Somewhere in the past few days the walls she had once carefully constructed, had started to crumble. She didn't know if she was ready to face what was behind them. She knew that they would reveal an emotional woman who longed to love and be loved in return. Yesterday, she had come to the conclusion that being emotional wasn't a bad thing. She had even silently thanked her partner for making her feel like that. But now she wasn't so sure that being vulnerable was such a good thing. She knew out of first hand that being in touch with your feelings could destroy you. The memory of her parents' disappearance and her brother's leaving hit her full-force. For her own survival, she had created those walls. She had put a distance between herself and her surroundings for her own protection. And now her inner core, who she really was, was about to be exposed. She didn't know if she was ready to deal with everything she had locked away, all those years ago. She was afraid of having the very thing she had avoided in the past: a mental breakdown.

Temperance gave her co-worker another desperate look. She couldn't voice all her fear right now. She needed some time alone to sort through the chaos in her head. Finally, the female scientist decided to break the silence. The least she could do was to reveal to Angela how much Booth's attitude in her dream affected her.

"It hurt, Angela. It hurt." she whispered. "I always thought that Booth was on my side, no matter what I said or did. To see him turn his back on me like that …"

"Bren, let's not overreact here." Angela intervened. "It's a dream. He would never say such things in real life. He's your friend."

Temperance stared at her creative friend for two seconds before patting Angela's hand a few times. "He's my friend." she stated. She got up and walked away, non-stop muttering that short sentence to herself.

Angela shook her head. _Booth, you'd better hurry. Tempe is losing her common sense. She's falling apart._

---°---

At that precise moment, the FBI agent in question was staring at his mobile phone. _I could call her … I could ask her how she's doing._ Booth sighed. If he knew Bones, then she would say everything was fine. Hell, she would even say she was fine if she was hanging upside down above a pool full of sharks. The corners of his mouth curled into a small smile. _Yeah, that's my Bones._ His smile faded though when Angela's words came back to him. Bones had been scared in her dream. Yes, she had been _scared_. Booth wondered what had exactly frightened her. It couldn't be that talking corpse. It had to be something else, something deeper. According to Angela, the skeleton had said that Bones didn't belong here. _Nonsense, of course she belongs here. In this world. At my side._

The thought didn't surprise him. Some time ago, he had realised that Temperance was way more to him than just a partner and just a friend. They were way past the normal friend status, for all he was concerned. Yes, it was true. He wanted her to be with him. No, he _needed_ her to be with him.

He turned his gaze back to his mobile phone. _So calling isn't an option._ He stared at the device for another minute. His mind wandered back to his previous thoughts. He wanted to share his life with her. He wanted to be the one who made her smile, who comforted her when she was crying, who calmed her down in stressful situations. He wanted to know everything about her, from her silliest dreams to her deepest fears. But before all those things could actually happen, she had to let down her guard. That was his main priority now. He had to get behind that confident appearance of her. He was dead certain that it was merely a facade. It was her way of protecting her inner self. Someone needed to convince Temperance that she didn't need a defence system. Not every person was out to hurt her. Suddenly he got up, grabbed his coat and left his office with a determined look on his face. He was going to be that someone. He was going to show her just how well she fitted in.

---°---

He found her on the platform, behind one of the metal examination tables. He strolled over to her with his hands in his pockets. He came to a stop at her left side. He eyed the bones on the table up and down. Not taking his hands out of his pockets, he shifted his body a bit towards the scientist.

"Hiya Bones."

A couple of seconds of complete silence passed. "Booth." she finally breathed back, her eyes not leaving the bones before her.

"How ehm … How are you doing?" he blurted out, not entirely sure if it was the correct thing to ask her.

Temperance slowly lifted her gaze from the table to Booth's face. She bluntly stared at him. Booth forgot to breathe for a second. Dark circles were drawn around her eyes. Her skin looked extremely pale. Her blue orbs, usually filled with interest and knowledge, were now dull. The woman next to him was the complete opposite of the vivacious woman he was used to. He swallowed, processing the sight before him. Shards of the conversation with the artist came back to him. At first, he had thought that Angela was joking. Bones afraid of a skeleton? Right! That would be the day! But then Angela had continued her story. His protective instincts had kicked in. He didn't want the artist to know about his feelings, though. She would certainly run to her friend to tell her. He couldn't risk that. That was why he had pretended to be a fool who was too blind to read between the lines. He acknowledged Angela was right. Bones needed help.

His next action was quite unexpected and very impulsive. He took his right hand out of his pocket and brought it up to rest it on her left shoulder. He gently squeezed it.

"I'm here for you, Temperance." He saw something flicker in her eyes. It was gone before he could identify it. "I'll always be here." He gave her shoulder another gentle squeeze. "Well … I'm off then." He let go and turned around, making his way down the stairs. He was about to walk through the exit door when he suddenly turned around and jogged back to the platform.

"Hey Bones." he said. "If you ever want to talk, you know where to find me. Call me or come to see me. Doesn't matter how late it is. You got that?"

A slow nod of her head was the answer. He sent her a smile before heading off once again.

Temperance bit her bottom lip. _Maybe I should take his offer._


	5. Week 1: Friday

Author's note: Tadaaam, another chapter! It's a really _really_ REALLY long one this time. I don't know what happened. I just kept on writing and writing and writing … I don't know if it's any good though. °frowns her forehead° Oh well, you can always tell me if you liked it or not in a review. °gives an encouraging nod°

A random (and possibly funny) fact I want to share: Two days ago, I was on the train, on my way to school. I was listening to my iPod and thinking about my story when, all of a sudden, a couple of ideas popped into my head. I grabbed my notebook and started writing everything down as fast as I could. Now there was this really old (and wrinkled) lady sitting beside me. I wasn't really paying attention to her until she tapped my shoulder. She said: "I like _Bones_ too. Don't you think Booth and Brennan are such a cute couple?" You can imagine my reaction. I was completely baffled!

Another reviewers thank you: _Payton-Rose-Halliwell_, thank you. I updated as soon as I could. _Bella-mi-amore_, I hope you find this chapter as great as the last one. _Sheliak_, I hope you're still sitting on that seat:-) _Writurchic_, long time no review! Felt good to get another one from you. By the way, I totally agree with you. Bones absolutely _needs_ Booth. _Bsquared19_, welcome to my fanfic:-) I hope you find this chapter also interesting.

**- Week 1: Friday -  
-----------------------------**

It was Friday. To be more precise, it was a quarter to four in the morning. Temperance was lying on the couch in her living room. One hand was resting on her stomach; the other one was draped across her forehead. Her eyes were fixed on the ceiling, trying to discover something unusual. She couldn't sleep. She had tried though, but almost immediately woke up every time. Temperance shifted her body until she was lying on her right side, facing the back of the couch. She closed her eyes once again and concentrated on her breathing. _Deep breath in. Slowly exhale. In … and out. In … and out._ Her muscles relaxed bit by bit, only to tense up a minute later. Her eyes flew open. Temperance groaned. _Damn it._ She threw her body around, onto her other side. She was now facing her elegant coffee table. Temperance rubbed her eyes. _Damn it, I was so close._ She reached out and grabbed her watch off the table. The display read 04.07 am. Another groan escaped her. _That's it._ She sat up straight and swung her legs off the couch. She took another look at her watch. _04.08 am. Great, another minute has passed._ She threw the watch back on the coffee table and got up.

Temperance walked past her bedroom, throwing a quick glance inside. At 02.00 am she had traded her bed for the couch, thinking the nightmare wouldn't find her there. She had been wrong. She didn't know where she was heading. Her feet carried her around her apartment to find a comfortable place to sleep. Eventually she ended up at her front door. She grabbed her coat and left her apartment. Before she knew it, she was standing on the flat rooftop of her apartment building. A dark blue sky filled with millions of stars greeted her.

Temperance walked over to the edge of the roof. Streets. Nothing but empty streets. She lifted her gaze back to the sky. _How can something so beautiful be so far away?_ Temperance couldn't help but compare herself with the shining sky dots. _Every star is on its own. There are millions of light-years between them and the earth. I'm like them, cold and lonely. There are light-years between me and everyone I know. _Temperance crossed her arms before her chest and let out a deep sigh. She used to watch the stars with her brother. He'd invent constellations and point them out for her. Sometimes he'd grab her finger and help her connect the stars until she saw the constellation he was talking about. A sad smile appeared on her face. _Those were good times._

Her hands were getting a bit cold so she stuck them in the pockets of her coat. Her left hand encountered her mobile phone. Temperance pulled it out. _Maybe I should give him a call. After all, he _did_ say it didn't matter how late it was._

She hesitated. Did she really want to drag Booth into this? Her shoulder started tingling. She remembered the way he had touched her. Booth had sensed she was in trouble. He had tried to be there for her without scaring her away. Temperance sighed again. _It must be hard for him to work with me. I always focus on facts while he follows his instincts. I don't know why he keeps up with me. He should have a different partner. Not a … squint._ The words stung her. The idea of Booth working side by side with a different partner made her stomach turn. Her mind produced an image of Booth's new partner. She would be blonde, very smart and have perfect social skills. Temperance cringed. She would be everything she wasn't. Then her logical mind took over again. _What am I thinking? This dream must've worn me down more than I thought._ She glanced at her mobile phone. _He's my friend._ She nervously bit her bottom lip. A memory of Booth giving her a reassuring smile convinced her. _I'm calling him. _Before she could change her mind, she pressed number 1 on her speed dial. She held her breath as she heard she phone go over.

---°---

Booth groaned and turned onto his left side. He was about to pull the covers over his head to muffle the noise when he realised that it was his mobile phone. He immediately sat up straight. Without checking the caller ID he flipped his phone open.

"Booth." he said. The other side remained quiet. "Booth speaking." he tried again. More silence. He turned his phone around to take a look at the caller ID. With a smile on his face he brought the phone back to his ear. "I know it's you, Bones." The sound of a gasp on the other side confirmed his words. She didn't speak though. "Bones?" he questioned.

"You said it didn't matter how late it was." she finally answered. "I … I just …"

"You can share everything with me, Bones."

"I just wanted to hear someone's voice. To reassure me that I wasn't going insane."

"Where are you now?" Booth asked. _No need to panic. Bones thinking she's going insane and actually sharing that information with me is nothing to get worked up about._

"On the rooftop." _What?! _Booth jumped out of bed and grabbed his clothes.

"Bones, why are you on the rooftop?" he calmly answered. He put his trousers on. "Bones?"

The next question took him by surprise. "If you'd want to switch partners, you'd discuss it with me, right?" He nearly dropped the phone.

"Bones, stay where you are. I'll be there in 15 minutes."

"Booth …"

"Stay there." he firmly said. He shut his phone and quickly put on his shirt. As he rushed off to his car, he wondered if Temperance was losing all sense of reality. Why else would she assume he wanted a different partner?

---°---

He found her on the rooftop, leaning dangerously far over the edge. She was wearing nothing more than a pair of shorts, an oversized T-shirt and a coat that was hanging open so that the wind could easily crawl under her clothes. His gaze fell on her bare legs, covered in goose bumps. _How long has she been up here?_

"Bones." he called out softly. To his relief she looked up and stepped away from the edge.

Temperance stared at him. "The streets are empty."

"Yeah, that's because most people are sleeping right now."

"Well, you're not." She crossed her arms before her chest. "And I'm not either."

"Your call woke me up." Her shoulders visibly slumped. "And as for you, you haven't slept much lately, have you?" She turned her head, looking at the ground, scared that he might have seen the sudden fear in her eyes.

Booth was with her in two large steps. He gently lifted her head up to meet his gaze. Was it his imagination or was her skin even paler then a couple of hours ago? The dark circles around her eyes hadn't softened either.

"I know about the dream, Temperance." He paused a few seconds, long enough to run his finger along her jaw line. "You need help. You need _my_ help." No reaction whatsoever. "Temperance?" he carefully tried. Had she even heard him?

Temperance was fascinated. His soft caress sent chills down her spine. She wanted to press her cheek against his hand so he could touch more of her face. It felt so comforting, so delicate, so … intimate. The slow stroking of his fingers relaxed and mesmerised her at the same time. "Temperance" she heard him say. That was her name. He was using her first name instead of the eternal "Bones" nickname he had given her. The way his mouth formed the syllables, how he pronounced every tone, it completely fascinated her. When he called out her name for the third time she snapped out of her thoughts.

"Yes, Booth?"

"What are you scared of?"

"I'm not scared."

"Yes you are. I saw the fear in your eyes."

She sighed and turned around. "I don't want to talk about it, Booth."

And _bam_, there was that wall again. Booth saw her crawling back in her shell. _Not this time Temperance. I'm not letting you hide from the truth again._ He took another step forward and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"You called me for a reason. I'm not leaving until you tell me what's going on in that brain of yours."

"At the moment my brain is registering our environment. The empty streets, the chilly wind, the sound of our voices, ..."

"Bones, that's not what I meant. And you know it."

Temperance sighed. She turned her body a bit towards him. "Did you really mean it? The not leaving part?"

"I meant every word."

"Good." she said as she turned around completely and laid her head on his chest. "Very good."

Seeley let go of her shoulder and wrapped his arm around her slender waist. Pulling her against him, he reached up with his other hand and slowly stroked her hair. Temperance's eyes fluttered shut. She could hear his heart thumping. The sound comforted her. It assured her that this was not a dream. Booth was there for her.

"Bones, I'm going to take you inside. You're shivering. Plus, you need to rest."

"Hmmm." she answered, burying her nose in his jacket. She didn't want the hug to end; she needed his warmth.

Booth didn't know what to do. He loved holding Temperance in his arms but he needed to get her inside. She was shivering and covered in goose bumps. He was about to remove his arm from her waist when he felt one of her hands creep up his chest. It came to a rest right next to her face, where his heart was. _Damn it, I can't let go now._ Then he got an idea.

"Bones, don't even think about protesting."

"Why would I do that?" Temperance asked.

Suddenly Booth tightened the grip around her waist, leant down a little to put his other arm behind her knees and picked her up.

"Booth!"

"I said no protesting. I'm taking you inside. You're cold."

Temperance sighed and allowed him to carry her to her apartment. She expected him to put her down in the living room but he walked straight to her bedroom. Gently, as if she was a delicate treasure, he laid her down on her bed and pulled the covers over her.

"Now be a good girl and go to sleep." he smiled.

"You know I can't sleep."

Booth sat down on the bed. "I know you're afraid of your dream. But there is nothing to be scared about. Sure, it's a talking skeleton. But it's just a dream. It's not real. You of all people should know that dreams are merely illusions created by your subconscious. Dreams can't hurt you."

"You're wrong. They can hurt you, not physically but emotionally." Temperance bit her bottom lip. _Should I go on?_ Booth made the decision for her.

"How does this dream affect you emotionally, Bones?"

"It makes me feel unwanted. It tells me that I'm meant to live like a skeleton in the land of the dead. It convinces me that I don't belong in the land of the living, in your world." She decided not to tell him about the second version of her dream. It was too soon for that. The memory of it was still too vivid. "The dream's right you know. I'm no good with persons who have a pulse."

"That's not true Bones. You're good with me."

Temperance's eyes grew wide. She scanned his face to see if he was lying. All she saw were his warm brown eyes gazing down upon her and a soft smile playing around his lips. He reached out to caress her cheek.

"You should go now Booth." She immediately regretted her words. She didn't want him to leave. How he did it, she didn't want to know but he always made her feel at ease.

"I'm not going anywhere. Not until you fall asleep. As a matter of fact, that's what I'm going to do right now." Booth said, crawling onto the bed.

"Booth, what are you doing?"

"I'm helping you go to sleep. Now put your head on my chest." he answered, pulling her against him.

"But …"

"Do it, Temperance. No arguing."

She rolled her eyes and placed her head on his chest. Her ears immediately picked up the steady beating of his heart. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the sound. Her muscles slowly relaxed. One of her hands found its way to Booth's chest. It slowly gripped the fabric of his T-shirt. Temperance let the warmth of his body wash over her. Her mind noted the quite compromising and intimate position they were in but she didn't care. For the first time in four days, she felt comfortable. Booth's hands drew little circles on her back and hips. He felt her body relax, her breathing slowing down. He nuzzled her hair with his nose. _This feels good. I could get used to this._

---°---

It was seven o'clock before Booth knew it. _I should wake her up. She hates being late for work._ He gave her waist a little squeeze, hoping it would stir her from her sleep. It didn't. He brought his hand to her cheek and caressed it. Temperance didn't wake up. He brought his mouth to her ear and whispered: "Hey Bones, wake up." A soft groan came as an answer. Temperance snuggled up even more against him. Her hand took a firm hold of the fabric of his T-shirt. A light chuckle escaped him. He was about to repeat his words when she finally opened her eyes, giving him a slightly confused look.

"Good morning, sleepy face." he smiled.

"Booth? What are you doing here?"

"You called me last night. I stayed to help you sleep. And apparently I did a mighty fine job. You fell asleep the moment your head was on my chest. I must be a comfortable pillow."

"Well, it was the beating of your heart. It soothed me." Temperance rapidly covered her mouth with her hand, shocked that she had actually said that. Booth was giving her his trademark grin. "Scientists have proven that babies like listening to the beating of their mother's heart. It calms them down. It's actually the only sound they remember from the time they've spent inside their mothers."

"Nice to know you consider me as your mother." Booth dryly said. "It's also pretty interesting to hear those facts coming from you, a woman who never wants to have children."

Temperance opened her mouth to give him an answer but was distracted by Booth's movements. He removed his hands from her waist and got out of bed. She missed his touch already. Her bed suddenly felt too big. _Ridiculous. My bed's perfectly sized._ She watched her partner disappear into the kitchen. She assumed he was going to make some coffee. She took the opportunity to take a shower. Ten minutes later she joined him in the kitchen where she was handed a steaming mug of coffee. She carefully took a small sip.

"Good coffee."

"Thanks." He sent her a warm smile.

They continued sipping their coffee in complete silence. Booth placed his cup on the counter. He grabbed his jacket and went to the door.

"I'll see you later, Bones. Have a nice day at the lab."

She gave him a nod. And then he was gone; the sound of the closing door accompanying his departure.

---°---

It was now six o'clock in the evening. Temperance was studying a skeleton on the platform. But her mind couldn't keep up with the facts. Her attention kept slipping back to the previous night. She still couldn't believe that she had actually slept a couple of hours without having that strange dream. The thought that it might've had something to do with Booth's presence in her bed made her smile. _It was nice of him to come over and stay with me. It felt good to be in his arms. I've never felt like that before when I was with any of my ex-boyfriends._ She rubbed her forehead. _Damn it, where did that idea come from? Why am I comparing him with my ex-lovers?_ Booth was a friend. A very good friend who happened to always be in the neighbourhood when she couldn't keep herself together. _I shouldn't consider him as someone who could become more than a close friend._ The object of her thoughts happened to walk in twenty seconds later.

"Hey Bones!" he shouted, hopping up the stairs of the platform.

"Hi, Booth." She gave him a curious glance. "What brings you here? Do we have a new case?"

"Nah, no case."

"Then what are you doing here?"

"Since when do I need a reason to come see my favourite anthropologist?"

Temperance felt a blush creep up her neck to her cheeks. Booth's words combined with his charm smile made her knees go weak. _Here I go again. How does he do it?_

"Just grab your coat, Bones. I'm taking you out tonight."

"I can't leave now. It's only six pm!"

"So? It's Friday. Nobody will mind if you leave now, at a normal hour." Booth reasoned.

They stared at each other for a minute. Eventually Temperance pulled the gloves off her hands.

"Give me a minute."

She quickly went to her office to retrieve her coat. On her way she informed Angela that she was leaving with Booth. The artist sent her a broad grin and wished her "an exciting evening full of surprises". Moments later she was back on the platform, stating that she was ready to go. With his hand on her lower back, Booth guided her to his car.

---°---

They were now at Wong Foo's, sitting at the bar, each having a drink.

"So, what's your favourite colour?"

Temperance frowned. "Why do you want to know my favourite colour, Booth?"

"We always talk about cases when we're at Wong Foo's. Thought I'd try a different subject this time."

"Oh … I like earth tones, like brown and green."

"What kind of flowers do you like?"

"Ehm … lilies."

"Favourite food?"

"Thai food."

"Shoe and bra size?"

"Booth! What kind of question is that?"

He chuckled. "Ok, maybe that was a bit over the top. How about you share one of your high school memories with me?"

"There isn't much to share. I was smart. The other kids weren't. I was a foster kid. The others weren't. They didn't consider me as one of them. End of story."

Booth remained quiet for a couple of seconds. "No, that's not what I meant." He leaned a bit closer. "I want to know if you pulled some nasty trick when you were in high school. I'm sure you've done something naughty back then." Playful lights were dancing in his eyes. He nudged her elbow. "Come on Bones, you're just dying to tell me one of your secrets. Partners tell each other everything."

She let go of a sigh. "Alright. When I was in my final year I accidentally blew up the chemistry lab."

Booth's mouth fell open. "No way. You're pulling my leg here!"

She gave him a strange look. "No I'm not."

"I mean you're kidding, right?"

Now it was her turn to give him a playful look. "No, I'm not. I accidentally switched two chemicals who, obviously, weren't supposed to be mixed. The result was a blown up chemistry lab, six weeks long no chemistry lessons and detention for me."

Booth laughed. He patted his partner on the shoulder. "Hilarious. I've never pictured you as a juvenile terrorist. Got any more stories you wish to share?"

"Well, as a matter of fact, when I was twelve …"

---°---

"Thank you for driving me home."

"Not a problem, Bones." He gave her a lopsided grin. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he said "I don't know about you but I had a nice evening."

"Yes, me too." She unlocked the door and went inside. "You can come in if you want to."

Booth nodded and followed her inside. He closed the door behind him. Temperance was standing in her living room, watching his actions.

"Booth, I should thank you. For everything."

"For everything?" he said, closing the distance between them.

"Yes, for staying last night. For taking me out to Wong Foo's." _For making me feel wanted._

"Well, it was my pleasure Bones. I like spending time with you." He gave her arm a small nudge with his fist.

Suddenly Brennan's body was pressed against his, her arms firmly around his waist, her head buried in his chest. He simply put his arms around her and pulled her fragile frame even closer. He let his cheek rest on her hair. _If I knew she'd react like this, I would've said it sooner._

"Thank you." she whispered. He rubbed her back in response. She lifted her head to look at him. "Booth, please don't leave. I … I don't want to be alone again."

He gave her a reassuring smile. "Sure. I'll stay."

Relieve washed over her face. "I can't thank you enough."

"You don't have to thank me for this. It's what friends do."

Half an hour later they were once again lying in Temperance's bed. Each was lying on one side of the bed, not touching the other. Booth was fiddling with the sheets, while Temperance was staring at the ceiling. She turned her head to the side.

"Booth …" she hesitated. "Could I … Would you mind if …" Her unspoken words made him smile. He scooted a bit closer to the woman beside and opened his arms.

"Come here."

She snuggled up against him, her head on his chest so she could hear his heart. One arm sneaked around his waist to pull him closer. Her inner scientist was screaming at her that this was not good. _Friends don't spend the night in each other's beds. _Temperance ignored the voice. It felt too good. She didn't want to ruin the moment with scientific thoughts. Instead she concentrated on the feel of Booth's body against hers. _He's doing it again. He's making me feel vulnerable but also … cherished. _Right then Temperance Brennan realised something. _I don't have to be afraid of the emotional woman inside of me. Not with Booth around._ Her lips curled into a smile. Slowly but surely she drifted off to sleep, knowing she wouldn't be disturbed by the nightmare in Booth's arms.

As for the FBI agent, he was more than happy to hold her close to his heart. _Life couldn't get much better now. _he mused, watching the woman he secretly loved fall asleep.


	6. Week 1: Saturday part I

Author's note: Bonjour à tous! °lol° I thought I'd greet you in French for a change. :-) Here's the next chapter. This is part I. I'll post part II tomorrow. You guys have already waited too long. (an entire week, damn it!) Enjoy. :-)

Disclaimer: I forgot to disclaim in the previous chapter so I'll do it now. I don't own Bones. (damn it)

Thank you's: _Howdylynn_, thank god you're still reading my story! I've got some good news for you, there's more physical tension in this chapter. _Bella-mi-amore_, Thursday nights and Friday mornings can be good but Saturday mornings are even better! °lol° _sidleidol03_, thank you for your reviews. I'm also waiting for them to kiss on the show but I've got a feeling it isn't going to happen. (damn it) Oh well, we'll make them kiss in our stories. :-) _Marinusky_, Friday wasn't the end (thank god). The best parts still have to come. Well, _I_ think they're the best. °lol° _I hart Booth_ (or do I have to call you _writurchic_?), a girl can only dream about being in Booth's arms. °sniffs° I included an extra heartbeat scène just for you. _EternalConfusion_, thank you for your review. I updated as soon as possible but school kept interfering. (damn it) _Amasayda_, thank you for your review. Also a HUGE thank you for your comment on my English! It made my day.

**- Week 1: Saturday (Part I) -  
-----------------------------------------**

It was Saturday morning. Temperance felt cold air touch her shoulder. She groaned and crawled closer to the warm body next to her. A stream of warm air washed over her hair and tickled her nose. She mumbled something about air currents as she slowly opened her eyes, only to be greeted by the sight of a sleeping man. _Booth._ She took in his peaceful features. _He looks so vulnerable when he's sleeping. _Temperance chuckled. If only Booth knew his tough-cop-appearance had just been shattered.

The agent in question let out a groan. Not opening his eyes, he asked "What are you chuckling at? It's too damn early to be doing that." He shifted his body until his head was lying on Brennan's chest. "Hmm, this is better than a pillow."

Temperance's spontaneous laugh shook her body. The vibrations travelled through her body via Booth's ears, straight to his heart. He smiled. _I love hearing her laugh._ He pulled back the covers and pushed Temperance's shirt up until he could see her naked belly. Temperance immediately stiffened.

"Booth? What the hell do you think you're doing?"

He lowered his head until the side of his face was touching the skin under her breasts. "Shhhtt. No talking. Just let me listen."

_What the?!_ "Booth, you're acting a bit weird."

"Bones, shut up please. I'm trying to listen to your heart here."

Her body relaxed. _He wants to hear my heartbeat, that's all._ The thought that friends don't do these kinds of things crossed her mind but she quickly chased it away. Booth had let her listen to his heart, now she was returning the favour. His hand sneaked across the exposed skin of her belly as one of her own hands played with the hair on the back of his neck. Temperance gritted her teeth. The innocent touch of his hand was setting her skin on fire.

"I now know why you love this so much. Hearing your heartbeat is, like you said, soothing." Booth quietly said whilst drawing circles around her belly button with his finger.

"What's the time?" Temperance blurted out, trying not to get caught up in his caresses.

He stared up at her for a minute. _So much for a moment of intimacy. _He reached out to his mobile phone on the night stand and took a quick glance at the display.

"Nine o'clock."

"What?!" He felt her stiffen again. Booth placed a comforting hand on her stomach.

"Relax, Bones."

"How can I relax? I'm late for work!"

"You're not late. Because you're not going to the Jeffersonian today." he calmly stated before putting his head back on her belly.

Booth heard her heartbeat speed up and felt her stomach muscles tense up. He kept his body perfectly still. Any wrong move could mean a painful slap from her. Then her muscles relaxed. He felt her sigh.

"Fine." she simply answered.

"Fine?" He lifted his head up to look at her. "You're fine with it? No arguing?"

She smiled at him. "A lot has changed in the past days. I want to try new things. Staying home on Saturday is one of them."

Booth grinned. "Good." He once again placed his head on her stomach. "Because I wasn't about to move here."

They stayed like that for a while, Booth drawing circles on her belly and Temperance playing with his hair. They were both lost in their thoughts. Then Booth rolled over a bit until he was lying beside Temperance, leaning on one elbow.

"So what were you chuckling at?"

"Nothing." she answered, innocently glancing up at him through her eye lashes.

Booth leaned in closer. There were merely two inches between their faces. "Why do I get the feeling that you're not telling the truth?"

Temperance had trouble breathing. _How come I've never noticed the intensity of his eyes before?_ Booth was eyeing her up and down, scanning every inch of her face. He noticed her irregular breathing. A sexy smirk spread across his features. He was making her uncomfortable. He leaned in even closer, their noses almost touching. Temperance's pupils widened slightly, her breathing became ragged. _Oh yeah, I'm definitely having an effect on her._

"You sure you don't want to tell me what was so funny?"

A breathless Temperance gave him a nod. She was mesmerised by the colour of his eyes. Her knees were shaking, her hands were quivering and there was this strange sensation in her belly. It felt like molten lava was running through her veins. _I'll melt away if he keeps staring like that._

"Maybe a little torture will lure the truth out of you."

With a mischievous grin on his face, he pinned her down on the mattress.

"Torture?" she breathed.

"Oh yeah … Torture."

And before Temperance could react, he started running his fingers along her sides. Temperance squirmed to get away from the tickling. But it was no use. He held her firmly down with his lower body straddling her thighs. A loud laugh escaped her.

"Ready to spill it, Bones?" he asked, his fingertips dancing across her rib cage.

"Stop it, Booth." Temperance laughed. "I'll talk. Just stop tickling me!"

Booth rolled back onto his side. "The tickling torture never fails." he smirked, leaning back on his elbow. "Now tell me why you were chuckling."

"If you must know, I was thinking how cute you looked while you were sleeping."

Booth's eyebrows shot up. _I never thought I'd hear her use the word cute._ A blush appeared on Temperance's cheeks. _Apparently she's thinking the same._

"I meant you look vulnerable." she hastily corrected. "There's nothing tough about you."

He brought his hand to his heart. "That hurts my ego. You're making me sound like a wimp."

His words made Temperance grin. She shifted onto her side and propped herself up on her elbow. "I always knew you had a soft side." Her face became serious. "At work you try to keep up a tough-no-nonsense attitude. It often seems like nothing can hurt you. But sometimes you let down your walls. Then I get to see a glimpse of your other side, the emotional and romantic Booth. When you're sleeping, your soft side is visible." She paused. "I like that side." Temperance thought about her words for a second. "Come to think of it, I like both Booths."

Booth studied her face and let her words sink in. _She likes my alpha male tendencies._ He brought his hand up to her face and brushed a few strands of hair away. He let his finger trail along her jaw bone. _Soft … Sweet … Tempting …_ He suddenly felt the urge to bend down and kiss her. But first he had to do something else.

"What about _your_ walls, Temperance?"

Her body instantly froze. A distant look filled her eyes. Booth wasn't sure whether she was hiding once again or that she was analysing his words.

Temperance was hesitating. Part of her wanted to tell Booth about her inner struggles. He would listen and try to understand, maybe even help her. But what if he pushed her away? _I'm in serious trouble. I don't know if I'm ready to face my emotional problems. See, this is why being in touch with your feelings is dangerous! Facts don't betray you. Emotions and people do._

"What's behind that concrete wall of yours, Bones?" Booth tried again. "If you ever want to live like a normal human being, you have to trust other people."

Temperance took a deep breath. "I trust you." She willed herself to look at him. "My heart is behind my walls. I keep it there so that it can't be broken. I couldn't survive another emotional disaster."

"Your parents." Booth concluded.

"Yes, their disappearance mainly triggered my behaviour. They left me behind, wondering what I did wrong. But it's not just them. My brother left as well." Pause. "As did all the other men in my life."

"Hey, not everyone leaves." He tenderly caressed her cheek. "I'm still here." Booth bent forward and placed a kiss on her forehead. "And I'm not about to leave." He gently kissed her nose. His mouth hovered over her lips for a few seconds. Booth hesitated. _Should I take the risk? Is she ready for it? Hell, am I ready?_ But then he felt her warm breath on his face. It was enough to give him that extra push. He dipped his head and pressed his lips against hers in a loving kiss.

Temperance's hand sneaked around his neck to pull him a bit closer. Her mind was screaming that friends definitely don't do these kinds of things but she didn't care. Booth was kissing her and she was enjoying every minute of it! Temperance allowed herself to get lost in all the sensations Booth's lips were evoking.

He felt her hand grip his neck. She pulled him a bit closer to deepen the kiss. Her touch, her skin, her lips, … It was enough to drive him completely crazy. He fought back a moan. If he didn't stop now, he would take things further than just this innocent kiss. _Innocent, my foot!_ his mind shouted. Booth reluctantly pulled back. He opened his mouth to say something but forgot his words when Temperance opened her eyes and looked at him like he had given her her first kiss.

"I … uhm …" he stammered. "That was …"

"Yeah …" she whispered.

They gazed at each other for another minute before Booth cleared his throat. "I'm going to take a shower. You stay here in bed."

He quickly rolled out of bed after placing another kiss on her forehead. He had a hard time ignoring the throbbing feeling between his legs as he tried to walk to the bathroom as casual as possible. _A shower. Right. A cold one. An extremely cold one._ _Right now._

His slightly uncomfortable walk made Temperance grin. _At least the kiss affected him as much as me._


	7. Week 1: Saturday part II

Author's note: It took me all day to write this (very very very long) chapter. And now it's finally ready to be posted, like I promised. After all, a promise is a promise. I have to warn you though. Temperance will probably be even more OOC in this part. I blame it on the talking skull. °lol° Also I'd like to mention that I don't have any experience with writing adult scenes. I gave it a try. If it sucks, you can always tell me in a review. If it doesn't suck, review anyway. °lol° Oh yes, my comment on nature worshipers isn't meant to offend anyone. I love nature. :-)

Disclaimer: I have a lot to disclaim here. I do not own Bones. I do not own any poems by Edgar Allen Poe. There's also a slight reference to _The Mummy_. (a cookie for whoever finds the reference) Obviously, I don't own _The Mummy_. I'd be rich then. I also don't own Kaye Styles and his music.

Thank you's: My dear reviewers, you made me incredibly happy! _Howdylynn_, I hope this is soon enough for you. _moonofmathmaticalwisdom_, Temperance was indeed a bit OOC. But like I said, I blame it on the talking skull. °lol° _sidleidol03_, °lol° just imagine his reaction if he accidentally turned on the hot water … _I hart Booth_, did you know that you're good at writing reviews? Correction, you're the best at writing reviews. You always make me smile. _Bella-mi-amore_, thank you. I always try to describe every single detail. It's my way of trying to suck the reader into my story. _Amasayda_, thank you! That's all I have to say. _EternalConfusion_, more kisses in this chapter but no cold shower. Let's say he won't need it. :-)

Song list: Gimme the mic, I love to party, Don't you know and One of a kind are all sung by Kaye Styles. My personal favourite is Gimme the mic. It makes me want to party.

**- Week 1: Saturday (part II) -  
----------------------------------------**

Temperance got up when Booth exited from the bathroom. He disappeared into the kitchen. Ten minutes later Temperance re-emerged from the bathroom and followed Booth's trail. When she entered the kitchen, she immediately froze. _What the?!_ Seeley Booth was standing at one of her counter tops, cutting some fruit into small blocks while keeping an eye on the bacon and eggs in the frying pan.

Her eyes travelled to the table. A box of cereal, a carton of milk, a basket filled with bread, another basket filled with fruit, jam, cheese, some yoghurt and - partially hidden - two plates, two cups, two forks and two knives. She stared at the food displayed before her, unsure what to say. Booth threw the chopped up fruit in a bowl and placed it on the table, shoving it between the cereal and the yoghurt.

"Booth?"

He turned around and shot her his trademark charm smile. "Good morning, princess."

"Why is half my fridge on the table?"

"That's breakfast."

"That's _not_ breakfast. That's lunch for an entire army!"

"I wasn't sure what you'd like so I decided to put everything suitable on the table."

"A cup of coffee would've sufficed."

"You can't possibly last an entire morning on a cup of coffee. Now sit down."

He practically pushed her down on a chair and went to retrieve the frying pan. He sat down after having divided the bacon and eggs between their plates. Temperance stared at her plate.

"You don't expect me to eat this, now do you?" she asked, the sarcasm coming through loud and clear.

"Temperance, stop complaining and eat."

She rolled her eyes and grabbed her fork. It wouldn't hurt to give it a try. Besides, the eggs smelled too good to let them go cold. She carefully brought a forkful to her mouth. Booth watched her actions from the corner of his eye. _Please let her like it._ Then he saw her eyes lit up and quickly shoving some more into her mouth. He couldn't help but grin. _Touchdown for me._

Having finished the last piece of egg, Temperance leaned back satisfied. She noticed the amused look on his face. She rolled her eyes and gave him a smile.

"Fine, I'll admit it. Your bacon and eggs were quite good."

"Quite good?"

"Fine! It was delicious! Satisfied?"

"Not until you try some of my fruit salad."

"Booth, I couldn't possibly …"

But he was already filling her plate. With a sigh she picked up her fork and ate a few pieces. Booth kept staring at her until she was finished.

"Well?" he questioned.

"It was refreshing. Very tasteful."

"You have to try it with some yoghurt."

"Booth …"

He went to the fridge and came back with two small bowls filled with yoghurt and fruit blocks. He placed the bowls on their plates. Booth grabbed a spoon and started eating. Temperance followed his example. He was halfway through his bowl when he noticed Temperance's intense stare.

What?" he asked.  
She shook her head. "Nothing." She turned her attention to her yoghurt and started poking the fruit blocks with her spoon. "It's just that …" She looked up. "Do you know when the last time was I had a decent breakfast?"

"I'm guessing it wasn't yesterday morning."

"It was right before my parents disappeared. From then on the only thing I needed was a cup of coffee. I refused to have breakfast with my foster families. It felt like I betrayed my parents. Breakfast on Sunday mornings was a sacred ritual for them." She gave Booth a nostalgic smile.

"What about your brother? Didn't he try to …" Booth trailed off.

"He tried but I refused to co-operate. It brought back too many memories."

"And uhm …" He cleared his throat. "What about your boyfriends?"

A small laugh escaped her. "There weren't many men who thought of making me breakfast. They were only interested in spending the night and running away in the morning. The ones who actually tried to stick around in the morning, were quickly disappointed by me. I didn't consider them special enough to share the sacred breakfast ritual with."

Booth felt his heart flutter in his chest. She considered him better than her ex-boyfriends. He reached across the table to take hold of her hand.

"And now you're here …" she quietly said.

He brought her hand to his mouth and gently kissed the back of her hand. A shiver ran down her spine. The touch of his lips reminded her of the kiss they had shared earlier that morning. He stroked her hand with his thumb while locking eyes with her. He didn't say a thing, only showing his understanding with his actions.

So what are you going to do on your work-free Saturday?"

"There are probably hundreds of things I could do but I honestly don't know."

"Why don't you call Angela to have lunch?"

"Good idea. I think I'll do that."

Temperance gave him a smile. _When was the last time I smiled this much?_

---°---

"You look good, sweetie."

Temperance smiled at her best friend who was sitting across the table. They were having lunch in some fancy diner. Angela was happy to see that her friend didn't look pale anymore. The dark circles had disappeared too.

"A good night of sleep can do wonders." she answered.

"You sure that it's just a night of sleep and not something else?" _Or someone else._

Temperance looked down at the salad on her plate. "Ange …"

"Ok, I get the hint. You want to change the subject."

Temperance looked up and nodded. They ate on in silence. Soon they had both finished their food and were sipping their drinks.

"This has been a strange week." Temperance started. Angela nodded in approval. "That strange dream made me realise how cold my life was. I'm feeling better now, though."

Angela preferred to keep her mouth shut. Temperance was opening up to her without any encouragement which meant she wanted to share something important.

"I'm confused, Angela." Brennan's brows furrowed in concentration. "I understand now that I've locked myself up a long time ago. I thought that since skeletons don't talk, they couldn't hurt me. But they did. They alienated me from the real world." Temperance took a sip from her drink. "The only problem is that I don't know how to get to the real world." She sighed. "It's like I'm standing before an enormous door and I can't get through. I have to open the door to step into your world and leave the land of the dead behind. But the door is locked."

"Looks like you need a key." Angela stated.

"A key …" Temperance repeated. "A key … That's it, Angela! He's the key. He's _my_ key!"

Booth was her key, she was sure of it. He was there for her when she needed him. He dragged her out of the lab from time to time to have a drink. He pointed out when she was being insensitive. He bothered to explain all the pop culture references she ran across. A blush crept to her cheeks when she remembered the previous nights. He stayed to comfort her and help her sleep. He didn't run away when she revealed her biggest secret. He cared enough to make breakfast for her. And oh yes, he was one hell of a kisser! Temperance felt her toes curl when she remembered the taste of his lips. No-one had ever kissed her like that before.

"Earth to Brennan! What do you need a key for?"

"To open the door!" Temperance exclaimed. "To be able to travel to the world of the living."

"Well, who's your key then?"

She opened her mouth to give an avoiding answer but she was interrupted by her mobile phone.

"Brennan."

"Hey Bones."

"Hi." She couldn't help but smile.

"Got any plans for this afternoon?"

"Not really."She felt him smile at the other side.

"Well, where are you now?"

"Many's Diner."

"What a coincidence."

Then nothing more but a long beeping sound. She stared at her phone. _He hung up on me!_ It wasn't until a large hand was placed on her shoulder that she noticed the sudden change in Angela's expression.

"If that isn't our sexy FBI agent!" the artist exclaimed.

"Booth?" Temperance asked, turning slightly around.

Booth grinned. "Hey Angela." He turned to Temperance. His grin was replaced by a tender smile. "Bones."

She returned his smile. Booth wanted to lean down and kiss her but he couldn't do that. Not with Angela around.

"So Booth, it's not that I mind having a stud at our table but why are you here?" Angela asked.

Without tearing his eyes away from Temperance, he answered "I'm here to whisk Bones away."

"Is that so?" the artist answered, grinning from ear to ear.

"Yeah, for a picnic." Booth added.

"Really? Well, be my guest. Whisk her away!"

"Angela!" Temperance interfered. "Who says I want to go with him?"

"Oh please, don't try to fool me." She made a move with her hands like she wanted to shoo them away. "Have fun, sweetie. Do everything I would do."

Temperance shot her a pointed look but allowed Booth to help her to her feet. He winked at the artist to thank her and dropped a couple of dollar bills on the table to pay Temperance's lunch. The pair turned around and made their way to the exit, Booth's hand resting on Brennan's lower back. Angela watched them walk away, a dreamy and very satisfied look on her face.

"I wish I had such a knight in shining standard FBI issued body armour." she sighed romantically.

---°---

He helped her sit down on the blanket he had just laid out on the ground. Temperance leaned against the tree behind her while taking in their surroundings. They were at the local park, in the middle of a large lawn. Booth sat down beside her, his elbow touching hers. Temperance stretched her legs. They watched and old couple walking by. A bit further a group of children were playing with their dog. A young woman with a buggy was sitting on a nearby bench. Everything around them oozed out peace and calm. There was a comfortable silence between them.

"Are we going to sit here all afternoon?"

"Yup."

Booth slid down until he was lying on his back. He put his hands behind his head and closed his eyes. He let the peaceful sounds of their surroundings wash over him. In his head he slowly counted to three.

"Booth …"

_That didn't take long._ "There are some books in my bag. Help yourself."

"Thanks."

She reached over him to grab the bag. She pulled out a rather large book. It was a collection of poems by Edgar Allen Poe. It surprised her to find that kind of literature in Booth's bag. She leaned back against the tree, flipping the book open. On the inside was an inscription. _For my beloved son, Seeley Booth._

"My mother gave me that book for my twelfth birthday." he commented. "It was her way of teaching me something about famous English literature." He shifted his body until his head was lying in her lap. He stretched his legs and crossed his ankles. He clasped his hands together on his belly. "Go to page 75 please."

Temperance flipped through the book until she was on the right page. "It's a poem."

"Yeah, it's _The Raven_. I'm sure you heard of it before. Read it out loud please."

Temperance rolled her eyes but started reading anyway. "Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary, over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore …"

Booth closed his eyes and let her voice invade his mind. He felt at peace, sitting here with the woman he loved. Too soon the poem came to an end.

"And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor, shall be lifted – nevermore."

Temperance glanced down. "You want me to read another one?"

"Go ahead."

She flipped through the pages until she found what she was looking for. She cleared her throat and started reading. "Thou wast all that to me, love for which my soul did pine …"

---°---

An hour later Temperance put the book to the side. Booth opened his eyes and looked up at her, flashing her a lopsided grin. He sat up straight and removed his shoes and socks. Temperance watched him roll up the legs of his trousers. He did the same with her shoes, socks and trousers. Then he jumped to his feet.

"Time for something different." he said as he pulled her to her feet as well. He took a few steps forward. When he saw that Brennan wasn't following, he grabbed her hand and tugged at it. "Walk with me, Bones."

They walked a couple of yards barefooted. Temperance sighed and pulled her hand out of Booth's grasp.

"Booth, what's so special about this?"

"Don't ask questions, Bones. Just feel the earth mould to the shape of your feet. Feel the grass tickle your toes. Feel the warmth radiating from the sand."

"I feel ants devouring my feet …"

"Bones! At least give it a try. Connect with the earth."

"Hmm …" she sighed.

They walked another yard.

"Booth, I really don't see wha …"

"What does the earth mean to you?" he interrupted.

She sighed again. "Dead people are buried in it. For me, it's a synonym for the underworld. I think you call it hell."

Booth stopped walking. "Wrong, Bones. The earth is the mother of life. It feeds both plants and animals. It's solid. It supports us." He grabbed her hand again. "Yes, we burry our loved ones in the earth. It's our way of giving them back to what originally created them."

"Earth to earth. Some sort of dust to dust, ashes to ashes."

He smiled and gave her hand a squeeze. "I'm impressed. For once you didn't analyse every single word."

A deep blush decorated her cheeks. Unintentionally she had ignored her inner scientist. _So this is what it's like to let your heart rule over your head._ They returned to their blanket.

"Booth, are you sure you're Catholic and not some weird hippie-like nature worshipper?"

Booth just chuckled and pulled her body close to his.

---°---

As the sky slowly turned to a rich tone of pink, Booth got up. He told Temperance he was going to get the basket with dinner from the car. She watched him walk away, admiring the way he carried himself. She propped herself up on her elbows and stared at the sky. Her gaze travelled to the grass at her feet. _The earth supports us. It's a source of life._ She got up and took a few steps forward. _It's solid._ She closed her eyes and enjoyed the soft caress of the grass. The sun slowly sank lower. She tilted her chin up a bit and felt the last sunrays spill over her face.

Suddenly a pair of arms encircled her waist. She was pulled flush against someone's chest. A familiar scent tickled her nose. A smile tugged at her lips. _Booth._ She opened her eyes.

"Enjoying the sunset?" he whispered in her ear.

She nodded and covered his arms with her hands. He let his chin rest on her head. They watched the sunset for a moment. Temperance turned around in Booth's arms.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" she said.

"Very beautiful." he answered, gazing at her.

"Stop looking at me like that."

"Like what?"

"You know …" she gestured between their mouths.

Booth leaned in closer. "Like I want to kiss you senseless?"

Her eyes widened slightly. "Yes."

"Are you afraid I might kiss you in public?"

Temperance could only nod. A great part of her wanted to feel his lips on hers again but her other half didn't want it to happen in front of strangers. In her opinion kissing in public was the next step towards a serious relationship. And she didn't know if she was ready for that. Booth saw both doubt and longing swim in her eyes. He gave her a lopsided grin and dipped his head, firmly planting his lips on hers.

A barely audible moan escaped her. Booth tilted his head slightly to the side to deepen the kiss. He let his tongue trail along her bottom lip. Temperance threw her arms around his neck to pull him closer. She parted her lips and felt Booth's tongue immediately invade her mouth. He pulled her flush against his body. A shiver ran down his spine when their tongues touched. He groaned. His brain stopped working, it only registered how she felt and tasted. They pulled back when the need of oxygen became too urgent.

"Let's go back to our spot. I'm starving." he said, resting his forehead against hers.

"Good idea."

They made their way back to their blanket, his arm wrapped tightly around her waist.

---°---

The sound of a loud persistent knock echoed through her apartment. _Who could that be?_ Temperance thought, walking over to the door. She unlocked and opened it. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the huge bouquet of lilies in front of her.

"Good evening, Temperance." a muffled voice said from behind the flowers.

"Booth?" she hesitantly questioned.

The bouquet of lilies moved a bit to the side. Booth's face appeared. He gave her his charm smile. "You said you liked lilies so I decided to bring you some."

"They're beautiful!" Temperance exclaimed.

She took the bouquet from his arms and buried her face in the flowers to hide her trouble. The scent of lilies filled her nose and nearly made her cry. _No one has ever bothered to give me my favourite flowers._ She looked up to thank Booth but once again his face was hidden. This time he was holding a bouquet of big yellows flowers. Her mouth fell open.

"Booth!"

"But then I saw these sunflowers. They always brighten my day, like you do. It seemed more than suitable to give you a bouquet."

She brought her hand up to cup his face. Tears were glistening in her eyes. She mouthed a silent thank you. He tilted his head to kiss the palm of her hand. He handed her the bouquet of sunflowers and reached to something hidden at his left foot. Temperance gasped when she saw a bouquet of red roses appear.

Booth shrugged. "The lady at the flower shop said you can't possibly show up at a girl's door without roses if you want to ask her out."

Temperance just stared at him. "You're asking me out?"

"Well, yeah …" he shrugged again. "Put those flowers in some water and grab your coat. I'm taking you out to this new club."

---°---

"Bones, stop staring at me. It disturbs my concentration."

She shook her head. "Sorry. I was lost in my thoughts."

He smiled at her. "What's going on in that head of yours?"

"I was musing about the last couple of days. I've hardly worked. You've made me breakfast, took me to the park for a picnic, showered me with flowers, … It's all new to me."

"It's nothing, really. I enjoyed doing those things for you."

"I never thought I'd say this but you're making me feel alive." He raised his eyebrows. "Can't you see, Booth? You're the key!"

"Funny you mention that …"

He pulled up at a parking spot in front of a rather crowded building. _The Key_ a large sign read. He turned the engine off and got out. Temperance hopped out of the car before he had the chance to open the door. With his hand possessively placed on her lower back he led her past the doorkeeper into the club. _Come to me_ by P. Diddy was booming out of the speakers. There was a bar to their left, a dance floor in front of them and a stairs on their right. The stairs led to a space filled with comfortable couches. Booth ordered their drinks at the bar and made his way to the lounge area with Temperance at his side. They sat down. Temperance tried to say something but the music drowned out her words. So she brought her mouth to his ear.

"Why are we here?"

"You'll see." he shouted back.

Five minutes later the music stopped. Booth made his way over to the railing, pulling Temperance with him. He pointed at the fairly large stage on the other side of the dance floor. A man with a microphone appeared.

"What's up!" he shouted. "Are you ready for our next performer? He's 25, black and from Belgium. He's been the warming up act of Christina Aguilera. I give you … Kaye Styles!"

Temperance gave Booth a questioning look. He smiled. _Of course she doesn't know him._

"I know you like rap. But the idea of listening to how some idiotic prick swears he's gonna pump someone's motherfucking ass full of led didn't quite appeal to me. That's why I brought you here. Kaye Styles raps but in a different way. The display of alpha male tendencies for you, meaningful lyrics for me. Good compromise or not?"

Temperance didn't have the opportunity to answer. A heavy beat blasted from the speakers and invaded the club.

_Gimme the mic and I will make you feel alright  
Just gimme the mic (and I will make you feel alright)  
Just gimme the mic and I will make you feel alright  
Just gimmi the mic_

Booth bopped his head to the rhythm of the music. He took a swig from his beer. From the corner of his eye he saw Temperance tilt her head and listen to the music. Her foot started tapping to the rhythmic beat. He couldn't hold back a grin. _She likes it._ Then the next song came on. Temperance's face lit up.

"This one reminds me of my time in the Middle East." she shouted. She moved her hips and clapped her hands to the music.

_I've been waiting such a long time,  
looking out for you  
But you're not near, what's another year?_

_I love to party, get down in the club oh lady  
Move your body close to mine (yeah you look so fine)  
I love to party, get down in the club oh lady  
Move your body close to mine_

Booth grabbed her hand and took her downstairs, onto the dance floor. Temperance resumed her clapping and the swaying of her hips. Booth joined her. They danced together, imitating the clapping sound in the song with their own hands. Soon the song came to an end. A sensual beat immediately followed.

_My girlfriend  
Real shit real shit real shit (stepped up in the club like woa woa)  
Real shit real shit real shit (won't you dance for me)_

_I'm like don't you know, what I came to do  
Stepped up in the club, kept my eyes on you (my girlfriend)  
Wanna get down with you, freaky freaky bounce with you  
So baby girl, holla if you want me to_

He placed his hands on her hips and guided her closer to him. Temperance wrapped her arms loosely around his neck. Gazing at him she grinded her lower body against him. They were soon caught up in their sensual dancing. When the music faded away, Temperance leaned in.

"Meaningful lyrics, right?"

Booth flashed her a sexy smile as he pressed his forehead against hers. His hands travelled from her hips to her lower back. He placed a quick chaste kiss on her lips.

"Just wait until you hear his other songs."

_She's a one of a kind lady  
When you look in her eyes  
She's a one of a kind lady  
I was caught by surprise  
She's a one of a kind lady  
When you look in her eyes  
She's a one of a kind lady  
Always on my mind_

They were barely moving now. Temperance saw Booth's lips form the lyrics and she could hear his voice faintly coming through. She absorbed every word of the song. In reality Kaye Styles was singing the song but for her, it seemed like Booth was singing it. She felt her heart swell with emotion. _He considers me special._ She dragged his head down and captured his lips.

"Let's go home." she whispered.

---°---

The door slammed against the wall as they stumbled into the living room. She removed his jacket. He dragged his lips from her mouth to her neck.

"Please stay." Temperance choked out.

He kicked out his shoes and removed his shirt before pulling her back against his chest. His hands slid under her T-shirt, caressing every inch of naked skin he could reach. Soon her T-shirt was lying on the floor. Her shoes followed. He pressed his mouth against her neck, nibbling her skin. His hands fiddled a minute with the zipper of her jeans. Moments later her trousers were flying across the room. He hungrily shoved his tongue in her mouth, enjoying her taste. His fingertips danced over her spine. He abandoned her mouth to lick the sensitive spot behind her ear. Temperance gasped.

"I'll take that as a yes."


	8. Week 1: Sunday

Author's note: First of all, I'd like to mention that I've reposted _Saturday (part II)_. I discovered a few, well, weird mistakes. I quote: "He abandoned her mouth to lick the sensitive spot behind her eyes." Now that's quite humanly impossible, isn't it? °lol° It's corrected now, though. That's pretty much all I have to say here. No funny facts to share with you this time. I've had a pretty moving week, that's why. °punches the wall out of frustration°

Thank you's: Where are all my loyal reviewers? _Saturday (part II)_ only got 4 reviews. I miss everyone's comment. :-( But that doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy reading the reviews I did get. So a couple of thank you's are in place. _EternalConfusion_, I normally don't listen to rap. I'm more into alternative music. Like A Brand and The Delays. But I couldn't resist the beat and the lyrics. I like lilies too. Lilies and sunflowers are definitely the most beautiful flowers ever. And Angela's reaction? Yes, maybe it was a bit lame. I'll try to make her a bit more forward in the next chapter. _I hart Booth_, time to regain consciousness! °lol° Here's another chapter for you. I think you better sit down before you start reading. Just in case you faint again. _bonesvamp13_, thank you for your review and welcome to my story. :-) _sidleidol03_, oh they'll be going alright. °lol°

Disclaimer: Sadly enough I don't own Bones. Just imagine if I did. I'd have so much fun!

**- Week 1: Sunday -  
-------------------------------**

A large hand travelled up her thigh to her stomach. It stayed there for a minute, drawing small circles. Then it travelled to her arm. Two fingers tiptoed up to her shoulder to softly caress her collar bone. Temperance shifted. The hand traded her collar bone for her neck and cheek. She couldn't control a shiver when a warm kiss was placed on the weak spot behind her ear. She snuggled closer to the body behind her.

"Morning, Booth."

"Morning, Temperance." he murmured back. "Did I wake you up?"

"Yes." she turned around a bit to kiss him. "But you did it in the nicest way possible."

"I can be even nicer."

He captured her lips again. His hands disappeared in her hair to pull her face closer. Temperance turned around completely. Her leg slid over his hip as her hands roamed his chest. Booth reached down and pushed her lower body flat against his abdomen. They both groaned. The room got warmer with every move they made. Sexual tension hung heavy in the air. Hands groping and caressing every inch of naked skin, lips and tongues colliding again and again, sweat trickling down their bodies, hips crashing in a steady rhythm – slow first but picking up speed along the way, until the tension was too much. A deep manly groan and a high-pitched moan, followed by the sound of collapsing bodies and heavy breathing. And somewhere in the back, the faint sound of a ringing mobile phone.

---°---

"I have to go to work."

She quickly spun around. _What? No!_ She opened her mouth to say something but shut it again. Unsure whether her voice would betray her sudden panic, she resided to giving him a nod. _You can't leave now!_ her mind shouted. _You can't be like the others._

Booth noted her clutching at the towel wrapped tightly around her fragile frame. Her body language was betraying her. The small glint of fear in her eyes, the nervous movements of her hands, the non-stopping shifting of weight from foot to foot, … Unintentionally Temperance was giving away how insecure she felt. He sighed and walked over to where she was standing.

"I hate leaving you here but I have to go." he said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "I've been working for months on this case and now they've finally captured that bastard."  
"The case of the murdered twins." she stated in a monotone voice.

He nodded in response.

"Then you have to go."

Again he nodded.

Without making any other contact or saying another word she disappeared into the bedroom. He watched her walk away. The knot in his chest tightened. Remembering the call he got earlier that morning, he rubbed the sore spot.

---°--- _Flashback_ ---°---

He gave her a long kiss before he crawled out of bed. There was something blinking on the screen of his mobile phone. Curious he picked up the device. Someone had tried to call him but had been redirected to his voicemail. _It must have happened while I was exploring heaven with Bones_. Smiling at the woman in bed he dialled the number of his voicemail.

"Agent Booth," a familiar voice said. It was Cullen, his boss. "I hate to disturb your Sunday morning but we've captured Morgan. He's in our interrogation room right now. I'm sure you'd like to ask him a couple of questions. I'll see you in half an hour."

He pinched his lips together. _Morgan._ He put his phone back on the night stand. His gaze flew to Brennan. Guilt washed over him. He felt his heart tighten. _Why can't good moments last forever?_ He balled his fists and disappeared into the bathroom.

---°--- _End flashback_ ---°---

Temperance grabbed a pair of clean clothes out of her closet. She put her trousers on. _He's leaving._ She closed the buttons of her shirt. _I'm no longer special to him._ She made her way to the kitchen, expecting Booth to be gone. However he was still there, leaning against her table. She stopped dead in her tracks. Hands in his pockets and with his tie still lose around his neck, he gave her an intense stare.

"I thought …" She swallowed the lump in her throat away. "I thought you'd be gone by now."

"Couldn't just leave like that." His stare grew even more intense. "Forgot something."

"I didn't find any underwear or other necessary articles of clothing in the bedroom."

He quickly closed the gap between them. Temperance felt him cup her face. Before she could give any comment, he dipped his head and kissed her. She closed her eyes when his lips made contact with hers. The kiss seemed to last forever. It robbed her of all her rational thoughts. Too soon Booth broke away.

"I'll call you later. Promise me you won't go to work today."

"I promise."

"That's my girl."

He pressed a quick kiss on her forehead and walked out of the kitchen. The sound of a door being opened and closed reached her ears. She brought her hand up to her lips which were still tingling. He made her weak. He hurt her. And she let him get away with it. It was a mystery for her.

---°---

At noon Temperance was sitting behind her laptop. Her editor had called an hour ago. He wanted to know why she hadn't sent him her latest chapter. She had assured him that she would have another chapter ready by Wednesday. Determined to make up for the lost writing opportunities she had grabbed her laptop. Booth had kept her so busy lately that she hadn't thought once of her fictional characters. _Booth …_

The blinking cursor on the screen was mocking her. She was sure of it. Every time it blinked it laughed at her. It laughed because she couldn't write. Not a sentence. Not a word. Not even a single letter. The moment she had opened her text writer, her determination of writing a wonderful chapter had vanished.

She couldn't concentrate. That was the problem. Every time she tried to step into her story, she failed. Her mind kept wondering back to a certain FBI agent.

The cursor was definitely making fun of her. Blink. _He's not here._ Blink. _He left._ Blink. _He's just like everyone else._ Blink. _And you were stupid enough to trust him._ Blink. Her hand shot out to flip the computer screen down. She got up to get herself something to drink. She returned with a small bottle of cool water.

Her eyes caught sight of the bouquet of red roses. She reached out to touch them. _He brought me these when he asked me out._ She smiled. He hadn't really asked her; more like ordered her to come with him. But she hadn't minded. Not after he had bought her lilies. She went over to the flowers in question. _He bothered to find out which flowers I prefer._ _He didn't mind buying them for me. _She took a sip of her water. _Actually, there's a lot he doesn't mind doing for me._ Temperance frowned. He didn't mind finishing paper work for her. He carried bags with decomposing body parts without protesting. He didn't mind making his expensive suits dirty to help her digging. She smiled. _Or maybe he did mind that a little_. Those were all the obvious things he did effortlessly for her. Temperance started pacing around her living room.

And then there were the smaller things Booth did. He shared his cup of coffee with her. He helped her in and out of her coat. He held doors open so she could walk through first. He handed her his jacket without hesitation when he saw her shiver. _Sure._ her mind reasoned. _Gentlemen do those kind of things. And Booth is, after all, a gentlemen to the bone._ She grimaced. Bones. His nickname for her. Booth had once growled at another agent that he couldn't call her Bones. _Obviously only he gets to call me Bones. _Even Angela wasn't allowed to use his precious nickname for her. Was it Booth's way of her realize she belonged in the world of the dead? That she was nothing more than a skeleton that happened to still be covered with skin?

_Ridiculous._ Temperance resumed her pacing around. The way he had treated her last night showed how much he considered her to be a normal living human being. No, there had to be another reason why he called her Bones. A small voice in her head interrupted her racing thoughts. _Maybe it's his way of claiming property, claiming you._ She stopped pacing. She frowned once more as she put her hands in her pockets. _Maybe it is._ She shook her head. What was happening to her? She was agreeing with a small voice in her head!

Her gaze fell upon the bouquet of sunflowers. Booth said they always brightened his day. She stared intently at the flowers. _Come on, brighten my day. Make me smile._ Nothing happened. Temperance shot the flowers a nasty glare before shaking her head again. Now she was mentally demanding flowers to make her happy.

"Ridiculous." she puffed, turning away from the golden bouquet.

_Flowers can't make me smile. Only Booth can._ Her realisation hit her hard. _He's my partner in every possible way._ She rushed to her door, grabbing her jacket on the way out. _He's my key, god damn it._

---°---

Booth slowly pushed the door open. He pressed his back against the wall, listening for any unusual sounds. Nothing. He entered the room, gun first. Sweeping from the left to the right, he took in his surroundings. Nothing.

A muffled sound reached his ears. It came from the kitchen. It sounded like a fridge being opened. Then the sound of a glass being taken out of a cupboard. Why would a burglar pour himself a drink? He took a few steps in the direction of the kitchen. His foot accidentally hit the coffee table. _Damn it._ The sounds in the kitchen stopped. Booth backed up against the wall, his finger ready on the trigger. He took a deep breath and silently counted to three. He raised his gun. On three he jumped around the corner, gun pointed straight at the forehead of the supposed burglar.

"Bones! God damn it!" Booth quickly lowered his gun. Brennan did the same with her fists. "What the hell are you doing here? I thought someone had broken into my apartment." He put the gun away in his holster. "I could've hurt you!"

Temperance crossed her arms before her chest and listened to his tirade with raised eyebrows.

"A burglar doesn't have the key of your apartment, Booth. I'm sure you've noticed there were no signs of forced entry."

Booth tiredly rubbed his face. He wasn't in the mood for this. First the confrontation with the monster that had raped and killed two innocent girls. Morgan had murdered the twin in cold blood. Booth had had a hard time not to strangle the man with his bare hands. People who killed innocent children always made his hands itch.

"Why are you here, Temperance? I told you I'd call you." he asked again, a lot calmer and friendlier now.

"I have a question for you." the scientist stated.

He gestured her to continue. "Shoot."

Temperance quirked an eyebrow at his choice of words. He smiled sheepishly. "Go ahead. Continue. That's what I meant."

"Why did you leave this morning?"

"I had to work."

"That's not the real reason."

"Of course it is. Why else would I leave?" he countered, throwing his hands in the air.

She narrowed her eyes and stared at him for a minute. He stared right back, a somewhat exasperated look on his face.

"You left … without having breakfast … with me." she bluntly stated.

His shoulders relaxed immediately. "So this is what it's all about." He took a step forward. "I wasn't running away, Temperance." He took another step towards her. He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'd never do that. You mean too much to me."

Temperance visibly relaxed. "Good." she breathed, closing the distance between them. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest. "Because you're my key."

He leaned back a bit to look at her. "What's up with this key-business? You mentioned it last night when we were on our way to that club and now you're bringing it up again."

A smile appeared on her face. She reached up to caress his cheek. "You're my connection with the living, Booth. You're the key that unlocks the door. You make me open up to the world. You make me want to live."

"You've always been very much alive to me."

"Yes, of course I'm alive. I have a pulse."

"Not that kind of alive, Bones. Regardless what you think, you've never really left the world of the living. Yeah, you tried to appear cold and heartless. You hid behind walls. You refused to participate in any kind of social activity. But you never stopped caring." He brought his face closer to hers. "You work with bones. You understand them. You speak their language. But you've never been one of them." He flashed her a smile. "We each do our thing to help people because we care. I follow my instincts and ask people the right questions. You do the same, only with bones." Temperance slowly nodded, taking in every word he said. He gave her waist a little squeeze. "Like I said. You understand them, those skeletons. But you aren't one. No, you're like me." He pressed his forehead against hers. "You're one of my kind."

A genuine smile broke across her features. She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Thank you, Booth."

"Don't call me Booth."

"I always call you Booth." she replied, knitting her brows together in confusion.

"Last night you didn't."

A blush coloured her cheeks. His chocolate brown eyes grew darker. She bit her bottom lip as she looked up at him through her eye lashes. His hands found their way under her shirt. His thumbs sensually stroked her spine.

"Say my name, Temperance."

"Seeley." she said, barely louder than a whisper.

"That's not how you said it."

He kissed the sensitive spot behind her ear. It earned him a small gasp from Temperance. His mouth made it's way to her collar bone, leaving a trail of soft kisses behind. His hands crawled even further under her shirt.

"Seeley." she murmured.

He left her neck alone for a second. "Not even close."

He unbuttoned her shirt and let it fall to the floor. She removed his tie and jacket. Not able to resist any longer, he crushed her lips with his mouth. Temperance hungrily opened her mouth to give his tongue access. Her fingers slid in his hair to make sure he wouldn't stop kissing her. Booth massaged her lower back. Eventually Temperance let go of his hair to take a gulp of air.

"Seeley." she panted.

"Better. But not quite like you said it last night." He brought his mouth back down and dragged it down her neck, making her shiver with pleasure. She firmly gripped his shirt when he pressed his lips against the spot where you could feel her heart beat. He looked up again. "You more like screamed it." His eyes grew even darker with desire. He scooped her up in his arms and started heading for the bedroom. "I want to hear it again."


	9. Week 2: Monday

Author's note: Alright, as a reward for all those _wonderful_ reviews I decided to post another chapter. Sadly enough, the last chapter. This story already has grown much more than I expected it to. (Check chapter 1, I clearly mentioned that it would be about 5 to 7 chapters.) This writing experience has taught me a lot. For instance, always start with a good opening chapter. It'll attract more readers. Not that I'm complaining now. My story got more readers and reviews than I initially expected. Who knows, I might even have more than 50 reviews at the end of the ride …

For my reviewers: I have a lot of people to thank here. You've absolutely made my day, no wait, my week! You can't possibly imagine how I felt when I saw more than _12_ people had bothered to leave me a comment! _angel6 aka trinigyal_, welcome to my story (hehe, just love saying that) and I hope this update came soon enough for you. _DBFan2005_, wow your comment floored me for a moment. You really look for my story every day? °does a happy dance° Thank you! _I hart Booth_, thank you. I've said it before but I'll say it again, you write great reviews. I always feel like I've done a more than proper job when I get your approval. _ReticentWriter_, thank you. I feel flattered that you appreciated my story enough to sit still for a couple of moments. As for the weird mistakes, there might be another one in this chapter, who knows. (Although I hope not because that would mean I did a poor job with rereading the chapter before posting it.) _EternalConfusion_, thank you. Booth is really good at calming her, isn't it? °hehe° _Bellabun_, thank you. He's her key indeed. _sraj87_, °dumps a load of cookies° Congratulations, you've found the reference! There's a reference to _Notting Hill_ in this chapter, care to find it? _sidleidol03_, maybe I'm mistaking here but does your comment mean that I'm fairly good at writing adult scenes? (or something that looks like an adult scene) _krisnina77_, thank you for noticing how the chapters are divided. I thought it would keep things clear. _Amasayda_, I hurried alright! °lol° _SlvrNight_, guess what's happening in this chapter … °imitates a squeal°

Disclaimer: °sadly shakes her head° I don't own Bones. I don't own Notting Hill. And I certainly don't own the music produced by Milk Inc. (Although I do own a ticket to their concert in September.)

Advice needed: Alright, I just mentioned that this was the last chapter but I'm not sure anymore. There are still a lot of loose ends to be tied up. Like the dream, whatever happened to it? And uhm … well, you'll see when you read this chapter. I think that there is space left for a couple of extra chapters but I'm not entirely sure whether you want me to continue. °huge dilemma° Should I or shouldn't I? Please help me out!

**- Week 2:Monday -  
----------------------------------**

_I'm running around in circles  
Meeting people I see every day  
There's no one left to talk to  
'Cause I already know which words they'll say_

It was Monday. Another typical Monday. At half past eight, Angela and the rest of the Squint Squad found Temperance standing behind one of the examination tables. She was sorting through a pile of bones. Angela raised her eyebrows. _What is she doing here? She's supposed to be late._ The artist ushered Hodgins and Zack into one of the separate examination rooms and went over to Temperance, determined to find out what had happened with Booth.

"So … how was …" she started.

"My weekend?"

Angela nodded. "Yeah, what happened with …"

"Booth?"

Another confirming nod from the artist. "How was the picnic?"

"It was alright."

"Just alright? Sweetie, you were with Booth. The hot as hell FBI agent who happens to be your partner. You know … _Booth._"

Temperance simply shrugged. "I know who he is, Ange. Now please drop it. I'm trying to work here."

Temperance picked up a piece of bone and stared intently at it to emphasize her words. Angela threw her hands up in a frustrated move. She walked away, non stop shaking her head. _Why hasn't he made a move on her? They should be together by now!_ The artist was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice the secretive smile playing around Temperance's lips.

_In the land of the living, there's a key  
In the land of the living, to open me  
In the land of the living, I will search no more  
'Cause it's you that I've been looking for  
In the land of the living_

As she laid down the piece of finger bone, Temperance thought back to the events of earlier that morning. The memories made her smile broadly. She had spent the night at Booth's place. _No, Seeley's place._ she mentally corrected herself. He had made sure she'd never call him Booth again. Her skin still tingled of all their love making. It had been more than just sex. Every caress, every kiss, every whisper had been meant to heal her soul.

_I'm running around in circles  
Meeting people I see every day  
There's no one left to talk to  
'Cause I already know which words they'll say_

"Zach, make sure you clean these bones. I'd like to take a look at them this afternoon."

"I'll start right away, dr. Bre …"

"You jumped him!"

Zach and Temperance turned around in surprise. Angela was standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips. The artist rushed over to her best friend.

"You jumped him!" she said again, poking Brennan's chest with her finger.

"I don't know what that means, Angela."

"You nailed him. You went to bed with him. You slept with him. You ended up in the sack with him. You got it on with him. You two got jiggy with it. Shortly: you jumped his bones!" Angela countered, giving Brennan's chest a poke with each sentence.

"I honestly don't know what you're trying to say here." Temperance furrowed her brows in confusion.

"You had sex with our favourite FBI agent!"

Temperance rolled her eyes. _Not that conversation again._ She grabbed the file off the table and exited the examination room with Angela on her tail. The artist had to take large steps to keep up. Temperance was walking fast on purpose. She hoped she could shake Angela before the artist asked any more questions … or before Angela saw the satisfied glint in her eyes.

_If only I could find the things I miss  
There must be some place where there's more to life than this_

After she had taken a shower that morning, she had studied her face in the mirror. All signs of the trouble that dream had caused had vanished. Her complexion had regained it's soft and creamy colour. The dark circles had disappeared. Her eyes had shimmered with happiness, the fear had been replaced with dancing lights_. And I owe it all to Boo … Seeley._

_In the land of the living, there's a key  
In the land of the living, to open me  
In the land of the living, I will search no more  
'Cause it's you that I've been looking for  
In the land of the living_

"Bren … sweetie … For the love of my very pretty and very expensive Versace shoes, please stop running."

"I'm not running. I'm merely walking with fairly large steps. It's not my fault if you can't keep up."

"You're deliberately trying to shake me off." _Damn it, she noticed._ "Versace heels aren't made for running, but for strutting around."

"Then strut around."

"That's not the point!" Angela was poking Temperance's shoulder again. "Don't try to change the subject here. You slept with Booth."

A deep sigh escaped Temperance. _Doesn't she know when to stop?_ "What makes you think I _jumped his bones_?" she answered, underlining her last words by making quotation marks in the air.

"You have the glow." Angela simply stated.

_I'm running around in circles  
Going places I go every day  
Don't wanna be here anymore  
I've got no reasons left to stay_

They entered Temperance's office. Temperance sat down behind her desk and stared at her friend in disbelief.

"The glow?"

"You know, the I-just-had-sex-glow."

"I do _not_ have the glow."

Angela placed her hands on Brennan's desk and leaned over to study her friend a bit closer. She tilted her head to the left. A small "hmm"-sound was heard. She tilted her head to the right. A wicked smile appeared on Angela's face.

"You …" she said. "… do not have the I-just-had-sex-glow."

"Thank you!"

Angela leaned back and crossed her arms before her chest. "You, sweetie, have the I-just-had-the-best-sex-ever-glow." she announced.

"That's ridiculous, Angela!" _Although the earth did move the last time._

"You can say whatever you want, Bren, but the glow never lies."

"I do _not_ glow!"

"Of course not. You're not a firefly. I'm just saying that you have this aura of satisfaction floating around you. You look like, as the French would say, _une femme comblée._"

_If only I could find the things I miss  
There must be some place where there's more to life than this_

Temperance had to fight the warm blush that was creeping up her neck. It was true that she was satisfied. _More than just satisfied, to be honest._ _I feel complete._

At half past six that morning Booth had woken her up. With a drowsy voice she had asked why he had disturbed her peaceful sleep. He had given her a toe-curling stare before hungrily devouring her lips. Between kisses he had explained that, due to work schedules (meaning that Brennan wanted to be in the lab at half past seven), he had to wake her up a bit earlier so that there would be plenty of time for a profound session of love-making and a healthy breakfast afterwards.

He had kept his promise. She had completely lost herself in their gentle love game. At the peak of upper delight, she had felt the urge to shout out how much she loved his attention, how special she considered their time together, how delicate he made her feel. How much she loved him. But the words had died on her lips. She hadn't been able to pronounce them. So she had resorted to moaning his name and scrapping her nails down his back.

Seeley had joked about the scratches, mumbling something about her way of claiming him. He had left his own marks on her body. The green turtleneck sweater she was wearing, cleverly covered the spot where he had grasped her skin with his teeth on the moment of climax. She lightly shook her head. _I never took him for a man who gives love bites._

"Hello, earth to Brennan!" Angela waved her hand in front of Temperance's eyes.

"I do _not_ look like a satisfied woman!"

"Sure you don't. And the Pope can breakdance." the artist smirked. "Now tell me, is the statement about the size of hands and feet true?"

"I don't know what that means." Temperance gave her friend a confused look.

"Oh come on sweetie, you know what they say. Big hands, big feet, big …"

"Shoes?" the female scientist tried.

_I will search no more  
I will search no more  
'Cause it's you that I've been looking for_

Angela slapped her forehead out of frustration. "You've got to be kidding me! Work with me here, sweetie. Is he well proportioned?"

"Who is?"

"Booth!" the artist nearly cried out.

"How should I know?" Temperance innocently asked. She was having a hard time not bursting out in laughter. She was driving Angela insane and she knew it. And she was enjoying every minute of it.

"Hello ladies, what are we talking about?"

The two women turned their attention to the broad-shouldered man who had just entered Temperance's office. Hands in his pockets he casually strolled over to the office desk. Angela's attitude immediately changed. She turned around to face the FBI agent, a broad smile plastered on her face.

"Booth! What a coincidence. Bren and I were just discussing your weekend."

Booth quickly glanced at Temperance who stood up to put away a couple of files. He noticed the faint blush on her cheeks. He wondered how much she had told the artist. Judging by the uncomfortable tension in her shoulders, not much. Was she embarrassed about them being together?

"Well …" he started, shuffling his feet. "What do you want to know?" Temperance spun around. They locked eyes. A spark of electricity passed between them. An image of Temperance lying beneath him, her hair spread out on the pillow, a soft blush decorating her cheeks, popped up before his eyes. He cleared his throat to stop his thoughts from continuing. Having improper thoughts of Brennan in her office wasn't smart. Especially not with Angela around. That woman could spot sexual tension a mile away.

Temperance saw his discomfort with the situation. He wasn't sure what she had told her friend. He didn't want to give away too much information but wanted to be polite at the same time. Keeping Angela from asking more questions would be like trying to take away a bone from a starving dog. _Come to think of it, Angela does show resemblance with a pit-bull. When she's onto something, she won't let go._ Temperance decided to help Booth out.

"Angela's suggesting that I _jumped your bones._" she said, once again underlining her words with quotation marks.

Booth raised his eyebrows. "Well …"

"Something must've happened. She has the glow." Angela defended herself.

Temperance made her way over to Booth. "She says I'm glowing like a firefly."

Booth raised his eyebrows even more. "Well …" He eyed her up and down.

"You must know what I'm talking about Booth. Our dear Brennan here has the I-just-had-the-most-amazing-sex-ever-glow floating around her."

Booth draped his arm around Temperance's shoulders. "Well …" he said again.

"I've never seen that look before with her. It must've been quite a moving experience." Angela continued.

"More like an earth shattering experience." Temperance muttered. She glanced at the FBI agent.

Booth stared at the woman beside him. "Really?" he quietly asked, a faint glint of desire dancing in his eyes. Her words were involuntarily turning him on. _Nice to know she enjoyed it as much as I did._

"Yes, Seeley." Temperance whispered back.

His chocolate brown eyes became darker, almost black. The desire and longing was more than obvious now. Temperance felt her heartbeat speed up. She licked her dry lips. She loved how his eye colour changed when he got excited. It turned her on.

"Let's go." Booth said in a hoarse voice.

Completely forgetting the artist, he pushed Temperance out of the office. Angela watched their agitated conduct. Booth led her out of the door, his hand placed dangerously low on Temperance's hip. She cocked an eyebrow. And his hand stayed there. Tempe didn't even try to slap it away. She tilted her head and sniffed the air. _Sexual tension. Without a doubt._

_In the land of the living, there's a key  
In the land of the living, to open me  
In the land of the living, I will search no more  
'Cause it's you that I've been looking for  
In the land of the living_

Temperance popped her head around the doorframe.

"Two things, Angela, before I go. One, the statement about big hands and big feet is more than true. Two, I told you I'm never late. No matter what happens."

The scientist winked at her before disappearing again. She went back to Booth.

"Ready to go, Seeley?"

He shot her a look full of craving. "I love it when you say my name."

She grabbed his hand and practically dragged him out of the lab. As they walked through the exit doors, they heard a high-pitched squeal, followed by an even louder "I knew it!".


	10. Week 2: Tuesday

Author's note: Tadaaamm!! Surprise! I'm proud to give you a brand new chapter! °beams with pride° Your wonderful reviews encouraged me to continue this story. I have to admit though that, at first, I didn't know what else to write. But my music once again inspired me. And who knew running a couple of laps every day stimulates creativity as well? I've got more good news. I just finished drawing up the time line for this story. The way it's looking now, the story will continue for a very _long_ time! (And when I say long, I do mean _long_.) Oh yes, I updated the chapter titles.

For my reviewers: Oh my gosh, I've got like 11 people to thank here! _Bellabun_, thank you. I'll try to make it to 75 reviews. I'll also try to put more naked Booth in this thing just for you. °lol° Don't forget your promise! °points at the review button° _Nicola_, thank you. _googleaddict_, the good things come to those who wait. I'm a fan of slow stories. Booth and Brennan don't always have to jump each other the first second they see each other, don't you think? _EternalConfusion_, hehe I'm happy that I made you giggle. I'm surprised that I was able to write a humorous chapter. _I hart Booth_, I hope you find this chapter okay. It's not like the previous one. I hope you review because you know … Your reviews tell me if I did a proper job. :-) _jameni_, I totally agree with you. Sex – ok … Love – the best! _Ellie_, your comment made me blush. I'm sure you've read far better stories than mine … But still, thanks! _krisnina77_, more chemistry coming up here and in the next chapters! _sidleidol03_, thank you. _angel6_, thank you. What I said to _I hart Booth_ goes up for you as well. _Agent-Kelly_, thank you.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones. I don't own the music of Billy Idol. °shakes her head° I'll never own Booth and Brennan, damn it!

Challenge: I only needed one more review to break my review record. So people, let's try to break that record now! I need more than 11 reviews …

**- Week 2: Tuesday -  
-----------------------------------------**

"Have you lost some weight?"

Temperance spun around in surprise. "What kind of question is that, Angela?"

"Oh well, you know with all that extra exercise you've been getting, you must've lost some weight." the artist answered, waggling her eyebrows suggestively.

"Angela …"

Temperance sighed, rolled her eyes and walked away. Angela rapidly kicked off her shoes and rushed off the platform after her friend.

"You're not going to shake me off this time, Bren." Angela showed Temperance the pair of shoes dangling at her fingers. "I'm prepared this time."

"Whatever gave you the idea I would want to shake you?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because every time I bring up Booth and sex in the same sentence, you tend to speed-walk."

"Maybe that's why I've lost some weight." Temperance replied in a teasing tone.

They entered one of the separate examination rooms. Temperance sat down behind one of the microscopes. Blocking out Angela, she bent over to study a specimen on a piece of glass. Angela sat down beside her friend. She crossed her arms and stared at Temperance, knowing it would irritate her.

"Don't you have anything better to do?"

Angela raised her eyebrows. _She's getting nervous. Excellent. She's not getting away so easily this time._ With a devilish smile painted on her face, she scooted over to Brennan. Temperance resumed her squinting at the specimen, Angela her staring.

"Stop staring, Angela."

The artist grinned from ear to ear as she slid even closer to Brennan. Their shoulders and elbows were now firmly pressed against each other. Temperance gritted her teeth. Angela wasn't about to let go. _She's being a pit-bull again._

"A little breathing space would be appreciated, Angela."

An innocent look came as an answer. "What on earth are you talking about, sweetie? I'm just sitting here. I'm sure there's plenty of air left for you to breathe."

Temperance shot her friend a glare before shaking her head and returning to her microscope. Angela rested her head on one hand, the other one lying on the table. She saw the muscles in Brennan's neck tighten. _That'll teach her for teasing me yesterday._ Her fingernails started to tap in a steady rhythm on the table. She tilted her head a bit towards Temperance and started to hum. She was awarded with another glare. Angela paid no attention to it and started to sing softly.

"Face to face … And back to back … You see and feel … My sex attack … Sing it, flesh … Flesh for fantasy … We cry, flesh … Flesh for fantasy!"

Temperance shot upright and pushed her chair away from the table. Irritation written all over her face, she turned to the artist.

"Fine! You can ask me three questions and I'll do my best to answer them."

Angela folded her hands in front of her on the table. "Only three questions?"

"Take it, or leave it. This is all you're getting."

"Right … three questions it are then." Angela furrowed her brows in concentration. "Does he have any kind of weird habits in bed? Like, does he wear socks while having sex?"

"Do you think I'd allow him to sleep with me if he did?" Temperance answered.

"True … On a scale from one to ten, how good is he?" Angela asked.

Temperance was about to give an answer when the agent in question strolled in. A soft smile playing around his lips, he walked over to the two women. He draped his arm around Temperance's shoulders.

"And how are we today?"

Brennan smiled in reply. Memories of the passionate night flooded her head and made her stomach twist. If she didn't know any better, she would've sworn a swarm of butterflies were fluttering around in her belly. She turned back to Angela and announced, straight-faced: "At least a 12."

The artist uttered one of her typical squeals. "I just _knew_ it! What's his secret?"

Temperance got up. She threw a furtive glance at Booth who was watching them with an eyebrow cocked in amusement. She quickly made her way towards the door, trying to hide her flushed cheeks.

"We'll talk about that later, Angela." she threw over her shoulder. Booth gave Angela a questioning look. The artist only grinned at him like a cat that had just caught a bird. He frowned. He felt like he had just missed an important clue. Booth shrugged his shoulders and followed Brennan out of the room. He saw her walking down the hall. He had to jog to catch up with her.

"Hey Bones, wait up. What was all that about?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." she light-heartedly replied.

"What were you and Angela discussing?"

Brennan's cheeks became red again. She dared a quick glance at his face. _Quick, I have to think of something._ She waved her hands at nothing in particular. "Girltalk." _Thank you, brain._

She felt Booth throw her his charm smile. More blood rushed to her cheeks. _He knows._

"Am I a 12?" Booth grinned. His question conformed Temperance's suspicion. Fortunately for her they entered her office. The huge pile of files on her desk gave her an idea. _I can avoid his questions by saying I have more work to do. _

"Booth …" Temperance turned around. "We'll have to continue this conversation later. As you can see," she gestured to the files. "I have a lot of work to do."

"Correction, _we_ have a lot of work to do."

"What?" A confused look appeared on her face. "Are you going to help me identify skeletons found at an Indian burial ground?"

Booth put his hands in his pockets. Rocking back and forth on his heels, he watched the woman standing before him. He deliberately kept quiet for a moment.

"Booth?" Temperance questioned.

He flashed her a smile. He imagined how her eyes would light up when he announced his news. She'd smile and hurry away with him, leaving her Indian skeletons and lab coat behind without hesitating. He watched her grow more impatient with every second he kept his mouth shut. Finally he decided to break the news to her.

"We have a case."

And she reacted exactly as he had foreseen.

---°---

They climbed out of the black SUV. Temperance grabbed her kit with instruments and caught up with Booth who was waiting at the yellow police tape a bit ahead. He held up the tape so she could walk through without having to bend forward. His action earned him a smile. They walked over to a small group of police officers. A decomposing body was lying in their midst. To be more precise, a _headless_ decomposing body was lying at their feet. Temperance crouched down to investigate the remains. Booth scribbled all her observations down in his little notebook. Five pages of writing later, Temperance stood up again. She dusted the dirt off her knees. In the mean while, Booth packed all her instruments back in her kit. She watched him, an amused smile playing around her lips. _He's being a gentleman again._

"Ready here, Bones?"

"Almost. I just need to find the head."

"What makes you think it's still here? Your gut feeling?" Booth joked.

Temperance smiled. "It is possible that the killer took the head with him as some sort of trophy but I doubt that. Several bones are broken which indicates there was a struggle. There are also multiple stab wounds which means the killer got emotional. He worked his feelings off on the victim. I assume he didn't mean to chop off the head. In his emotional state he decided to get rid of it. He didn't want his crime to be visible." Brennan threw a look at the scene around her. "Was the body moved before we arrived?"

"No, I told the police not to touch it. I know how you hate it when people contaminate your crime scene."

"That means the head must be here somewhere." Temperance murmured. Her eyes scanned the area. Her gaze fell upon a nearby dumpster. "There." she pointed. "The killer will probably have dumped the head there."

They went over to the dumpster. Booth peered at the waste. It looked and smelled like hell. He grimaced. _Well, there goes the idea of finding the head by following the smell of decomposition._

"Could you give me a push?"

"What? Bones! There is no way I'm going to let you rummage around in that dumpster."

"Well, somebody has to do it. The head won't jump out on its own."

"Then let me search."

"In those clothes?" Temperance pointed at his expensive and very neat looking Armani suit. "No Booth, you've already ruined too many suits for me. I'm dressed for the job." She waved at her own clothes, a blue overall. "Now give me a push."

"Bones, really. I don't mind ruining another suite. Just let me …"

"I'll give you a push." a male voice interrupted.

Booth and Brennan turned around in surprise. A tall, blond haired man with blue eyes was standing behind them. He curiously eyed Temperance up and down. He liked what he saw. It would be a pleasure to conquer this redheaded leggy beauty. He rubbed his chin and flashed her a charm smile. Temperance raised her eyebrows. She glanced at Booth who was sending the man a death glare. He obviously didn't like this intruder.

"And you are …?" she asked.

"Agent Zellar." The blond man extended his hand. She didn't take it. She turned back to Booth.

"As I was saying, Booth, I'm wearing the appropriate clothing."

"I'll help you, dr. Brennan."

The blond agent interrupted them once again. Booth gritted his teeth. Agent Zellar was working on his nerves. He hadn't liked the way the other man had been looking at _his_ Bones. He opened and closed his fists repeatedly to release some of the build up tension in his hands. He took a step closer to Brennan.

"Special agent Zellar, why don't you go interview the people who found the body while _I_ help _my_ anthropologist here."

Booth bended his knees and cupped his hands. Temperance put her foot on his hands and hopped over the edge of the dumpster. She tossed a couple of waste bags aside. Booth watched her conduct. As did the other agent. Agent Zellar casually placed one arm on the edge of the dumpster and gave Temperance's bum an appreciative look. Booth felt his hands itch again. Temperance saw the grim look on her partner's face. She motioned him to come a bit closer.

"Booth, please be a bit more professional." she whispered. "We're at a crime scene. You don't need to display your manliness here."

"I wouldn't be _displaying my manliness_, as you're putting it, if that guy stopped drooling over _my_ girl!"

Temperance rolled her eyes. _Men!_ she thought before returning to a pile of extremely awful smelling waste at her feet.

"Temperance, are you coming to the annual FBI grand ball tomorrow evening?" Agent Zellar asked, throwing a furtive glance at Brennan's slender form as he dusted some imaginary dirt off his suit.

Without bothering to look at him, Brennan pushed aside some more waste. "I didn't know there was an FBI party tomorrow." She lifted up another waste bag. "It sounds interesting." she continued absentmindedly.

"Really?" Agent Zellar grinned broadly. She was his for the taking. "Would you like to …" He stopped in mid-sentence when he saw Brennan tugging at something. Moments later Temperance was standing before him with a half decomposed skull in her hands. Zellar gulped. Booth was pleased to see the broad shouldered agent become a bit paler.

"What's the matter, agent Zellar? Aren't you used to gooey bodyparts?" he smirked.

"I'll uhm … I'll see you tomorrow evening, Temperance." Zellar muttered as he scurried off.

Booth held a large bag open so that Temperance could put the head in. "Nice way to tell him to bugger off."

Temperance shrugged. "Not everyone can sustain the sight of decomposing body parts."

"I can." Booth proudly stated.

"You couldn't when we first started working together."

"It has grown on me. Just like you did. Now I can't live without." He extended his hand to help Temperance out of the dumpster.

"You can't live without decomposing bodies?" she teased.

"Bones … You know what I mean. I can't imagine my life without you."

"Booth, you're being unprofessional again." Temperance pointed out. She grabbed the body bag. "Let's agree something, Booth. Promise me we'll keep everything work related on a professional level. Work and pleasure should be kept separated." Booth opened his mouth to protest. Temperance poked his chest with her forefinger. "Promise me, Booth. Our relationship can't affect our work."

"Fine." he sighed.

"Good. Now let's get these remains to the lab."

---°---

"Why didn't you tell me the FBI was holding a grand ball?"

They were lying on the couch in Temperance's living room. Tempe's head was resting on his chest. His hands encircled her waist, making sure she wouldn't slide off him onto the ground. She drew small circles with her finger on his shirt.

"I got the invitation three weeks ago. I put it away and forgot about it."

"Are you going?" she queried.

"Yeah, I have to. It's mandatory."

He grimaced. He didn't like FBI parties. Those grand balls were held for only one reason, sucking up to the big bosses. He wasn't a big fan of a night full of fake smiles, shallow conversations and crappy food. It always bored him to no end to see other agents prancing around with their beautiful dates. He always came alone. That way he could leave early and he didn't have to mind the amount of alcohol he consumed. Plus it was a great way of keeping annoying conversations to a minimum. Experience had taught him that couples always found it difficult to broach a subject with a guy who was single. The downside was that the other agents made him dance with their girlfriends or wives so that they could give their feet a rest. He hated to dance with those Barbie look a likes. Although he had to admit that not everyone who attended the FBI balls was a pain in the ass. His close colleagues and friends were also forced to come every time. But he never got to dance with their girlfriends. _Maybe it's time I bring my own girl along._ he pondered.

"Do you have plans for tomorrow evening?" he asked.

"I was thinking about working on my book. Why are you asking?"

"I was just thinking … The invitation said I could bring someone along and I just thought …" he trailed off, not sure whether to continue or shut his mouth.

Temperance turned her head to look up at Booth. "You thought what?"

Booth took a deep breath. "Would you like to be my plus one?"

"I don't know what that means?" she frowned.

_Of course. He'd have to simplify it._ "Would you like to be my date to the FBI party?"

She send him a genuine smile. "I'd love to, Seeley." she answered before reaching up and pressing a soft kiss on his lips.


	11. Week 2: Wednesday

Author's note: Alright, let me start off with a couple of warnings. I have absolutely no idea what people do at an FBI ball so I've made it look a bit like my high school prom. (Don't worry, I didn't add a crappy live band.) I've taken a couple of liberties with Cullen's character. Don't shoot me if you don't like it. A big thank you to _Bsquared19_. Thanks for your advice on the dress. About Temperance's reluctance to mix business and pleasure, I've decided to handle it my way. In other words, a very unconventional way. °lol° And finally, lots and lots of chivalry in this chapter. Oh yes, I'm also developing a thing for Zach. (No, not that kind of thing.) I'm thinking about building a story around him (with hints of BB fluff of course) when I've completed this thing here. Anyone interested? Or should I drop that idea?

For my reviewers: We were _this_ close to breaking my record, people! I only needed one more review. But it doesn't matter. :-) I'm more than pleased with my 11 reviews. _angel6, Bellabun, Bsquared19, Howdylynn _(Thank God you're still following my story.)_, Cora Clavia, Ellie _(They are indeed SO meant to be together.)_, krisnina77, Afw, I hart Booth, blueheelersgurl _and _Amasayda_, thank you! You guys keep me writing.

Disclaimer: °huffs in frustration° I do not own Bones, damn it. If I did, they would've kissed each other the first episode.

**- Week 2: Wednesday -  
------------------------------------**

"Bones!" Booth called out, throwing the door open with so much force it hit the wall with a loud thump. He saw her scanning herself onto the platform. Her abrupt movements were the only indicators of her currently tense mood. That and the rage blazing from her eyes. "Bones, damn it!" He was at the platform in no time. "Just wait a second, will you?" He searched his pockets for his badge. _Where's that damned thing?_ His hands finally found the card. He swept it through the scanner. As soon as the little red light popped to green, he bolted up the stairs. He was just in time to see Bones storm off to her office, slamming the door closed behind her.

He slumped down on a nearby examination table. "Damn it." he muttered. He rubbed his eyes. _Nice going, Seeley. Now you've really done it._

"You do know that Brennan doesn't like people sitting on her skeletons?"

Booth shot up. On the table where he had been leaning on just a moment ago, was the still juicy corpse from their case spread out. He grimaced. _Damn that corpse. Damn this case._

"Thanks for pointing that out, Angela."

The artist threw him a curious look. "What did you do this time?"

He sighed heavily. "It's that case we're working on."

Angela narrowed her eyes. Crossing her arms before her chest, she took a step closer. "Let me guess. Your manly ego took over."

"Don't you start on that subject too!" he shot out. "It's bad enough _she_" he pointed at Temperance's office. "is ranting about my _alpha male tendencies_ all the time. I can't help being protective and yes, possibly possessive, whenever a creep is ogling her!"

"You don't have to justify yourself, Booth. It's the way you are." Angela patted his arm. "It's just that our Brennan isn't used to having a knight on a white horse coming to her rescue. She needs time to adjust."

"Time, my ass." He felt like kicking something. The only things he could possible kick were the table with the skeleton on and Angela. Kicking either of them wasn't an option. He groaned in frustration. "I thought things would get simpler when we got together. You know, as an item."

"Sweetie, sex always complicates things. That's common knowledge."

He sighed. "I should've seen that one coming." He contemplated the closed door of Brennan's office. "She wants to keep things professional. At least, everything work related." He glanced at Angela. "I should've seen that one coming as well, right?"

The artist gave an affirming nod. "Well, you could always give her what she wants." Angela smiled at him, a naughty light dancing in her eyes. "I've heard you're taking her to the FBI ball. Be as professional as possible. She'll change her mind in no time."

"How did you ..." he asked confused.

"We're best friends. There is such a thing as telling each other everything." Angela waved at Tempe's office. "Be professional. It'll torment her so much that she'll be begging you to be all knight-like again before the day is over."

Booth thought about it. _Maybe if I play along with her game, she'll come around. It won't be easy, though. Not with that Zellar guy poking in our businesses._ He felt the irritation rise in him again. _But I have to give it a try._ A sly smile spread across his face. "Thanks for the advice, Angela."

"No problem, Booth. Express your gratitude with gifts, that's all I'm asking." she winked.

He grinned. "I'll keep that in mind."

He strode over to Temperance's office. He knocked on the door. "Bones?" No answer. He knocked again. "Bones, can I come in?" Still no answer. He tried the doorknob. The door was locked. He sighed. "Bones, open the door." No movement whatsoever. He let his head rest against the door. "Look Temperance, I'm ..." He sighed again. "I'm sorry for acting the way I did. I had no right telling Zellar off." He heard something at the other side, something that sounded a lot like a snort. "Alright, so maybe it wasn't exactly telling him off. Maybe I was a bit too harsh."

The door flew open, showing a still irritated Temperance. "A _bit_ too harsh? You were about to knock him a black eye!" she huffed.

"Hey, I had a good reason! That guy had no right to ask you to be his date for the FBI ball! You're with me now."

She rolled her eyes. But she smiled nonetheless. "Don't you think I know that, Booth? I was about to inform him that I already had a date until you barged in and lashed out at him. I can take care of myself."

"I know. You remind me about ten thousand times a day."

They smiled at each other, all the irritation and anger forgotten.

"All I'm asking you is to be professional. Work and pleasure should be kept separate."

"You know how I feel about that. Us being together can only improve our work." He sighed. "But fine, if this is what you want. I'll keep everything work related on a professional level."

She took his hand and gave it a squeeze. "Thank you."

"We're cool again?" He saw the confusion appearing on her face. Sensing another I-don't-know-what-that-means moment arise, he quickly explained "Is everything alright again between us?"

She smiled. "Yes, we're _cool_ again." Temperance answered, using his earlier expression.

"You know," he draped his arm around her shoulders "you're getting better at pop culture references."

---°---

She was applying the last bits of make-up when she heard the doorbell ring. Temperance grabbed her purse and opened the door. She froze. Booth was standing on her doorstep, looking as handsome as ever, with a single lily and what looked like a box in his hands. Temperance smiled at him, amused by his gaping at her appearance. She knew she looked nice. The floor length dress had a discreet V-neck that showed off her cleavage just a bit, but not too much. There was a sort of ribbon in a darker colour sewed under her breasts. She loved the deep red colour of the dress, it reminded her of a rich red French wine. It brought out the reddish tones in her auburn hair. She pushed one of the capped sleeves that had slid down back on her shoulder. She cleared her throat. Booth started from his intense staring and handed her the lily while trying to form a coherent sentence.

"You look … Well, I mean … Wow …" he ended in a sigh. "You look amazing … stunning … absolutely gorgeous."

She blushed. "Thank you, Booth. What's that?" she queried, pointing at the box in his hands. Her voice betrayed her curiosity.

Booth gave her a lopsided grin. "Open and see." He handed her the box.

She carefully opened it and peered at its content. "It's an alarm clock!"

"I noticed the other day that yours had been in an unfortunate accident."

She put her hand behind his neck to pull him in for a kiss. "Thank you, Seeley." She pulled back and turned around to search for a small vase to put the flower in. She heard Booth sharply suck in his breath. _Bingo, he noticed._

"You should've warned me about the back."

"That would've ruined the surprise." she threw over her shoulder.

Two minutes later she returned. Booth wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her body flush against his. He dipped his head to press a passionate kiss on her mouth. Temperance moaned. She slid her hands under his jacket. He made little circles with his thumbs on the bare skin of her lower back as he invaded her mouth. They shivered when their tongues touched. Temperance gripped his shirt and tilted her head to the side to deepen the kiss. Booth's fingers danced up her spine, caressing tenderly each inch of skin. Temperance pulled back a little to gasp for air. She kept her eyes closed. Booth's hands came to a rest on her shoulders. He licked his lips, her taste still lingering there. With slow circles he massaged her shoulders before sliding his hands down her arms. Temperance bit her lower lip. The sensations he caused were even more intense with closed eyes.

"We should get going." Booth murmured.

She opened her eyes. "Yes, we should."

But neither of them moved. They kept staring at each other, their desire clearly written on their faces.

"Temperance, we should go now. Or we won't be going at all." he tried again, in a hoarse voice.

She let go of his shirt and took a step backwards, away from the luring warmth of his body. Temperance grabbed her purse and opened the door. She felt Booth's eyes following her moves, scorching her skin and making her knees wobble with longing.

Booth let his gaze wander over her naked back. Who could've guessed that sexy dress would have a killer back? His eyes tracked the gentle curve of the dress which dipped dangerously low on Tempe's back. _Look how low it goes ... I wonder what panties she's wearing. God, is she even wearing panties? She certainly isn't wearing a bra. _He groaned and adjusted his trousers to mask his arousal. "Torture." He mumbled. _Now it'll be even more difficult to stay professional. Damn that dress!_ "Absolute torture." He followed Temperance out of the door, all the time keeping his gaze fixated on her back. The smooth creamy colour of her skin was tempting him. If he didn't watch out, he would be drooling all over her the entire evening. He slipped his arm around her waist and flashed her a charm smile. The contact of skin on skin sent small shocks through his veins. He momentarily closed his eyes, savouring the smoothness of her lower back. _God, bless that dress._

---°---

They pulled up at the building where the FBI ball was being held. Booth turned the engine off and contemplated the entrance a bit ahead. Then he turned his head to look at Temperance.

"Ready to go in?"

Temperance stared down at her hands. Nervously she fumbled with her dress. _Why do I feel nervous? This isn't my first ball. I've been to plenty of those things before. _She shrugged her shoulders. _Maybe it's because I'm here with him._

Booth placed a large hand on her fumbling fingers. "Stop fidgeting, Bones. There's no reason to be nervous. You look beautiful." He leaned in and pecked her cheek. "You're the Bell of the Ball, trust me."

She straightened her shoulders. _Stop being weak, Temperance. You heard the man. You're beautiful. Stop looking for confirmation._ She grabbed her small wine coloured purse and was about to open the door when Booth stopped her. He jumped out of the car and walked over to her side. He opened the door and offered her his hand to help her gracefully out of the car. Temperance rolled her eyes but accepted his help anyway.

"You're being unprofessional again."

"Being a gentleman is not being unprofessional. My mother has raised me well." He offered her his arm. "Plus I was a gentleman with you long before we were a couple." She hesitantly looked at his arm. "Even independent magnificent women like you deserve to be treated to their value, Temperance." She sighed and put her hand on his arm. "That's my girl. Let's go, sweetheart." He covered her hand with his own.

Temperance wrinkled her nose. "I think I prefer Bones."

---°---

Booth took two glasses of champagne off a nearby tray. He gave one to Temperance. As he sipped his drink, he scanned the room. Every big chief of the FBI was present. Just a moment ago he had seen his boss, Cullen with his wife. No sight of Agent Zellar so far. He inwardly cringed at the thought. It was hard enough to concentrate with Bones at his side; he didn't need some obnoxious agent in the neighbourhood to test his concentration even more. He glanced at his companion. _If I had known she owned such a dress, I would've asked her sooner to come with me to these FBI things._

"What do you think so far, Bones?"

"It's nice here. I just saw Cullen. He ignored me." Temperance sipped her drink as she watched Booth's amused expression.

Booth chuckled. Bones always worked on Cullen's nerves. He didn't know why, though. "Let's just say he doesn't know how to handle you. You make him want to pull out his hair."

"But he hardly has hair." she stated.

"Exactly." Booth grinned at her.

Temperance shook her head and returned to observing the people around her. One of the women on her right was wearing a lemon green strapless dress. Unfortunately the colour didn't clash with the bright green eyes of the lady in question. A friend of the lemon lady was wearing a pink dress with a corset shaped like a heart. Temperance raised her eyebrows and took another sip of champagne. She watched the couples sway to a soft melody on the dance floor. She caught sight of a woman who was wearing a tiara covered with diamonds. _A tiara, for crying out loud!_

"The women here are certainly … interesting … Anthropologically speaking."

"They're all Barbie dolls." Booth growled.

Her eyebrows shot up. She was about to protest against his comment – not every present woman was blond … and didn't he use to prefer blond women? – when someone called out Booth's name.

"Seeley, my man. Over here!"

A large grin appeared on his face. With his hand on her lower back, he guided her towards a small group of what Temperance suspected to be Special Agents and their girlfriends. The contact of his hands made her shiver. The effect he had on her every time he touched her, whether it was intentional or not, fascinated her. She had never experienced such feelings before.

"Hey Bob. Good to see a familiar face here. Hey Lou, thought you weren't coming?"

"It was mandatory." Lou grimaced.

Bob curiously eyed Temperance up and down. "I see you brought some company this year."

"Yeah, meet Dr. Temperance Brennan. She's my partner."

"Since when do you work with a squint?"

Booth sipped his champagne, about to fill Bob in on the details – after all they hadn't seen each other in more than two years. The good man obviously couldn't know how he ended up with a scientist for a partner. A tugging on his arm distracted Booth.

"They don't look like Barbie dolls, Booth." Temperance stated, pointing at Bob and Lou's girlfriends. The two couples simultaneously raised their eyebrows.

Booth nearly choked in his drink. "That's because they aren't, Bones."

"Well, she's certainly something." Lou replied, half chuckling at Temperance's blunt statement. "Where did you find her?"

"Museum." Booth answered.

Bob's girlfriend extended her hand towards Temperance. "Nice to meet you. I'm Alicia. This is Mary, she's with Lou."

Temperance shook her hand. "Nice to meet you too. About what I said … I'm …"

Mary leaned in and whispered: "They do look like Barbie's, don't they? With all their expensive perfumes and French manicures …"

Alicia joined her friend. "Yeah, we don't like 'em."

"Then why are you here?" Temperance questioned.

"We're here with our partners." Mary explained.

"Who happen to be our boyfriends." the other woman continued.

Temperance's eyes became as big as saucers. "Your partners are your boyfriends?"

"Well, yeah. Aren't you and Seeley a couple?" Alicia furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Because I could've sworn …"

Temperance felt a blush creep up her neck. She shrugged her shoulders to avoid giving an answer. She didn't know whether she was ready to confirm out loud that she was in a relationship with Seeley Booth, her partner.

"Not every partnership leads to a relationship." Temperance tried. "It is not uncommon for a male to work together with a female and focus strictly on doing their jobs. Not every male or female wants to _jump his or her partner's bones_." she reasoned, underlining her last words with quotation marks.

"Partners end up in a relationship, sooner or later." Both Alicia and Mary shook their heads. Alicia went on. "It's the adrenaline. With every rush, you feel closer to your partner than to anyone else. It's a common phenomenon. Partners understand their mutual desire for danger. They both crave that rush of adrenaline. No-one else is able to comprehend that."

"So whether partners like it or not, they end up together." Temperance slowly spoke. "It's bound to happen."

Mary and Alicia nodded. Temperance frowned as she tried to comprehend what the two women had just said to her. _It was bound to happen. Seeley and I were bound to happen …_

"But your theory isn't flawless. There are hundreds of examples of partners who work together but aren't in a relationship."

"We're not saying that _everyone_ who works together ends up as a couple. We've only noticed that working partners tend to understand each other better. The chemistry between them is of a different kind. It's more … let's say … explosive."

_We certainly have explosive chemistry._ Temperance thought. But she still couldn't believe their theory. _It's absurd, completely ridiculous! If their theory is true then Angela and Hodgins, for example, would be a perfect couple! And I really don't see them together. It's absurd!_

Her thoughts were interrupted by a discreet cough. Temperance turned around to find Special Agent Zellar standing behind her. He gave her a lopsided grin.

"Good evening, Temperance."

She quirked her eyebrows at the use of her first name. Somehow it didn't sound right.

"Good evening, Agent Zellar."

"Call me Charlie."

Booth appeared on her side. "Evening, Zellar."

"Booth." Charlie Zellar acknowledged his presence with a nod of his head. "How is the case going?"

"It's going just fine."

"Excuse me, gentlemen." Booth and Zellar turned around. An elderly man with slightly greying hair, brown eyes and an impeccable suit was smiling at them. "I couldn't help but notice this fine specimen standing with you. Mind if I take her for a dance?" The man gestured at Brennan.

Temperance raised her eyebrows again. "I'm standing right here. I can hear you."

"I'm sorry, dear. Would you like to dance?"

"Actually, she was about to …"

"Booth … be professional." Temperance hissed. "I'd love to, sir."

Booth watched her walk away with the elderly man. He didn't know his name but he had heard of his reputation. The man was known for hitting on younger women, only to dump them the morning after. _Simmer down, Seeley. Let's play along. Remember Angela's advice._ He took a deep breath. _Keep things professional. She'll tire of it soon enough._ But he couldn't help but feel the jealousy stir in his stomach when he saw the elderly agent drape his hand around Temperance's waist to pull her closer.

---°---

More than half an hour later Temperance was still dancing. And she wasn't enjoying herself. For the past forty-five minutes, she had been juggled around between at least five FBI agents. First that Thompson-guy, then a certain Quinton, followed by Morison who had to hand her over to Pickering – or something like that. And now she was dancing with, if she remembered correctly, Mark Warren. Her feet and head hurt. The latter from all the pointless conversations she had endured. Every single one of her dance partners had treated her like a twit. A smile tugged at her lips. _If only Booth could hear my thoughts. He'd probably say something like: "Excellent use of the word."_ But Booth wasn't there. Her smile faded as she re-adjusted Warren's hand for the twelfth time in two minutes. Apart from treating her like some dumb woman, he didn't know how to dance. His hands always wandered lower than they were supposed to with these kind of dances.

"I'm an FBI agent."

Temperance gritted her teeth. _Great, another attempt at conversation._ "I know. We're at an FBI ball."

"I have a gun. A big one." the man tried again.

"Of course. You're an agent. Agents are obliged to carry a gun."

"I even have handcuffs."

She didn't bother to respond. _Does he even know I have a PhD? I'm a Doctor for Pete's sake! Does he think I got my PhD from a gumball machine? _Warren's hands once again slid lower on her back. That closed the door for Temperance. With a polite smile she took a step backwards. _That's it. I haven't studied all those years to be treated like an idiot now._ She excused herself and walked over to Booth, who was standing at a small table, a plate full of appetizers before him.

"Care for an appetizer, Bones?"

"Thank God, someone who knows a four syllable word!" she growled.

"Was it that horrible?" Booth asked her, barely containing his chuckle. _Angela's plan seems to be working._

Tempe sent him a death glare. This made Booth grin even more. He raised his hands in defence.

"No need to glare at me, Tempe. You were the one who wanted to keep everything work related on a professional level."

"That doesn't mean you have to let me dance with every imbecile of an agent!" she spat. "My feet are sore and my head is spinning. I'm done with dancing tonight."

"Hey," Booth protested. "you haven't even danced with me yet!"

"Are you sure you can dance? Because your colleagues were terrible. One of them kept stepping on my toes and the rest didn't know where to keep their hands."

"Remember our dance in that country bar." It was enough to release all her hidden memories. Temperance remembered how she had bumped into his chest, how he had held her, and most of all, how he had twirled her around only to dip her backwards afterwards.

"Alright, Seeley. Let's go."

He narrowed his eyes. "You shouldn't say my name if you wish to keep things strictly business. It makes one's mind produce inappropriate thoughts." He grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the dance floor.

Agent Zellar saw where they were heading to. _Time to intervene._ He smoothed back his hair and weaved through the crowd towards the couple.

"Agent Booth, mind if I take Tempe here for a little spin around the floor?"

Both Booth and Brennan cringed at the words spoken by Zellar. Temperance because he had called her Tempe, something only her closest friends were allowed to call her. And Special Agent Charlie Zellar definitely wasn't a close friend. Booth clenched his free fist. _That guy is way too forward._ Temperance squeezed his hand and gave him a re-assuring smile. _Right, keep things professional. This is the ultimate test, Seeley._ He smiled back.

"One dance, Zellar. Then I get to twirl my partner around."

Zellar grinned from ear to ear as he grabbed Brennan's hand and dragged her along with him. He came to a stop somewhere between the shuffling couples on the dance floor. He put his hand on her lower back and took her hand in his other hand. Temperance hesitantly placed her other hand on his upper arm. Soon enough they were swaying to the music.

---°---

Booth watched them dance. He put his hands in his pockets. Seeing the woman he loved in the arms of another man and not being able to do something about it was everything except easy. He had to refrain himself from storming towards the couple to tear them apart. _Bones is mine, damn it!_ He felt a hand on his shoulder.

"It's not easy to share your partner, is it?"

He glanced sideways at Cullen, his boss. He shook his head.

"I've been through the same." Booth raised his eyebrows. "With my wife, Helen. We used to be partners. Until we went undercover together. When I saw her dance with someone else, I felt something snap. I wanted to do nothing more than to beat the crap out of that guy but I had to control myself, or I would've blown our cover." Cullen paused. "I asked her to marry me as soon as the mission was completed. We ended our partnership the day I slid that ring around her finger. My jealousy would've gotten us killed otherwise."

They both gazed at Brennan and Zellar for a moment. Then Booth cleared his throat. "Are you saying Dr. Brennan and I should stop being partners?"

"Hell no!" Cullen quickly responded. "You're one of the most dynamic teams the Federal Bureau has seen in a long time. You two have an incredible case history." Cullen squeezed Booth's shoulder. "All I'm saying is that I don't mind you two being together. You don't have to worry about the Bureau splitting you up."

"Thank you, sir." Booth smiled. _He's giving us his blessing._

---°---

"You are an extraordinary woman, Temperance."

She ignored him. _Where's Booth?_ She scanned the room. She saw him standing at Cullen's side, watching her. She felt her heart skip a beat. Even from a distance he could set her skin on fire with a simple look. A shiver ran down her spine, which involuntarily made Zellar smirk with satisfaction. Temperance cocked an eyebrow. _Great, now he thinks he's making me shiver._ She studied his face. Most women would find him attractive. Only she didn't. His eyes and hair weren't brown. He didn't have the same smile as Booth. And the way he treated her, like he _owned_ her, made her want to vomit.

"Nice dress." he commented. "It looks sexy on you. But then again, you just _are_ sexy."

She eyed his hair. "Did you have your hair cut?"

"Yeah, looks nice, doesn't it?" He flashed her a charm smile.

Temperance frowned. _Is it me or does he have the same haircut as Seeley? And did he just try to imitate Seeley's charm smile?_ The words spilled from her lips before she could withhold herself. "Stop imitating Booth."

Zellar was stunned for a moment. "What did you just say?"

---°---

Booth and Cullen heard Temperance's words. As did every couple standing near them. They all stopped moving to turn to Brennan and Zellar.

"Speaking of your partner, I think she's done it again. I swear to God, Seeley, I don't know how you keep up with her. Since I've met her, I thank God every day that my Helen isn't like her. It would drive me crazy."

"She drives me up the walls sometimes as well, sir. But I don't mind." Booth smiled at him. "It makes my life more interesting."

Cullen returned the smile. "Go calm her down, Seeley. Before she makes a scene."

"I think it's too late for that, sir." Booth sighed but moved towards the couple nonetheless.

---°---

"You heard me." Temperance snapped. "Stop imitating Booth. Stop smiling like him. Stop touching me like he does." She poked his chest. "I'm not yours."

Zellar's face flushed with anger. "Now listen to me, Tempe …"

"Don't call me Tempe!" she practically shouted.

"I'll call you whatever I want, _Tempe_. You've been seducing me all night. Don't think I didn't notice your furtive smiles in my direction. And that dress? Admit it, _Tempe_, you wore it just to tease me."

"Don't … call … me … Tempe!" Temperance growled.

"Hey Bones, what's the problem here?" Booth appeared on Brennan's side. He placed a comforting hand on her lower back. "Is this man giving you trouble?" Temperance felt her anger subsiding. She glanced around. Everybody was watching them. She slowly shook her head.

"No Booth, it's fine."

"Good. Then I'd like to have a dance with you." He glanced at Zellar. "If you don't mind, Agent Zellar."

The other man mumbled a curse, turned around and stormed off towards the exit. Booth gave Temperance a lazy smile and took her in his arms. Temperance slid her hand around his neck. They started moving to the music. As did the other couples around them.

"You didn't have to fight my battle, Booth."

"I wasn't. I was only trying to avoid a scene that would look unprofessional."

Temperance rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, Booth."

They continued swaying to the music. Temperance relaxed in his arms. For the first time that night, she felt at ease on the dance floor.

---°---

He pressed her against the front door, kissing her hard on the mouth. She gripped his hair and trailed his lips with her tongue. He slid his arms up her legs and under her dress, coming to a stop on her bum. His fingers felt the lace material of a small piece of underwear.

"Lace." he groaned.

"What?" she panted.

"You're wearing lace panties." He lifted her up so she could wrap her legs around his waist. "I love lace." He pressed his mouth against hers again.

She removed his tie and opened his shirt. One of his hands crept from her thigh to her back, caressing every square inch of skin on its way. It drove her crazy. Her hands groped at his chest. Her legs tightened around his waist, as if she wanted to drag him inside of her already. His hand fumbled at her underwear. He rotated his hips a bit and she involuntarily jerked against him. In the distance a door opened and closed. It was enough to startle them out of their sexual frenzy for a moment. She dragged her lips away from his. They locked eyes.

"Would you like to come inside?"

"More than anything in the world."

Temperance reached down to turn the doorknob. Booth quickly carried her inside and slammed the door. In the hallway a faint sound of ripping fabric and a long moan could be heard.


	12. Week 2: Thursday

Author's note: Hey, hello, gutentag, bonjour! Nice to see you're reading another chapter freshly written and posted by me. :-) Before you start reading, I have to make a couple remarks. I've tried to use one or two new words in this chapter. (Thank you, dictionary) I'm not sure if I used them in the right context … I'm aware of Booth and Brennan's discussion about fetishes but I can't recall what they said. Something about not needing to be dominant to enjoy sex? Never mind, you'll see what I mean. I'm also aware of the fact that somewhere during the first season, Brennan says "I need you to get federal on his ass." I haven't seen that episode yet so let's pretend she doesn't understand that pop culture reference. :-) Last warning: This chapter is the result of the bubbly mood I was in at the beginning of this week and the rather pensive state of yesterday evening. Oh yes, does the word sexcapade even exist? I'm sure I've heard it somewhere before ...

For my reviewers: Everyone who cared enough to leave me a review should've gotten a nice message back by now. If that's not the case, let me know. I'll send you another one then. :-) _Bellabun, I hart Booth, Howdylynn, krisnina77, EternalConfusion, Egyptianautumn, angel6, Afw and Amasayda_, thank you for your reviews! I'm curious to know what you think of this chapter. To all those people who bother to read my story but refuse to push that little blue Go-button, don't be scared! I don't bite. °lol°

Disclaimer: It's for the best that I don't own Bones. Just imagine the strange things that could happen … Booth and Brennan might actually kiss! °gasps° (And the Mummy reference also isn't mine)

**- Week 2: Thursday -  
-------------------------------------**

It was Thursday; a regular Thursday morning like there were at least 50 in a year. And Dr. Temperance Brennan was bored to death. For the umpteenth time she handed back a signed copy of her latest book. She even managed to produce half a smile.

"Gosh, Dr. Brennan, thank you! I'll treasure this book like forever!"

"That's very … nice of you." _Weird kid._

"I wish I was as famous as you are."

"You'll have to work hard then."

The blond teenager wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Oh no, I hate work! It ruins my nails. I'll just use my natural beauty."

The girl flicked her long blond hair over her shoulder with a trained move. She innocently batted her eyelashes. Brennan stared at her. _Is she being serious? Whatever happened to using your brain?_ The girl extended a perfectly manicured hand.

"Thanks again, Dr. Brennan. I hope to read your next book soon."

Temperance hesitantly shook the hand. The girl batted her eyelashes one last time and then disappeared into the crowd with swaying hips. Temperance watched her walk away. She shook her head. _I'll never understand teenagers._ The next person stepped forward. Temperance plastered a fake smile on her face. _I hate these book signings._

---°---

"Is she at your feet yet?"

"Sort of." he smiled.

"What do you mean _sort of_? She _is_, or she _isn't_. Didn't you follow my advice?"

He slid a wrapped package over her desk. With a small squeal Angela attacked the box of chocolates. Seeing the artist devour one chocolate after another made him chuckle.

"Is this all I'm getting?" Angela asked, chewing on the last piece of candy.

"I did as you told me to. And it worked to some extend. If you want a bigger reward, you'll need to come up with a better plan."

"You're forgetting that if it wasn't for me, you and Brennan wouldn't be together. I'm the one who told you about her dream."

Booth waved her words away. "I would've figured it out on my own anyway." He leaned over her desk, dangerously close to her face. "Why don't you tell me another one of my partner's secrets?"

Angela shot up right. "I can't do that! She's my best friend. You don't betray your best friends."

"Oh come on, Angela! Give me something to work with here."

She crossed her arms before her chest dismissively. "Sorry Booth, no can do. No matter how sexy you are when you're begging."

"You've done it before, Ange." He released his charm on her. "You've told me about her secret dream."

Angela clicked her tongue. "That's different and you know it, Seeley." she said, jabbing her finger in his direction.

His eyebrows shot up at the use of his given name. "Since when do you call me Seeley?"

"I just wanted to see if I would have the same effect as Brennan. You couldn't get her fast enough out of the lab last Monday when she used it." She flashed him a typical devilish Angela-smile. "Seriously Booth, I can't give away her big secrets. She'll do that on her own when she's ready."

Booth sighed. "Message received, Angela." He flopped down in the chair across her desk.

"But with the right reward I might accidentally spill something …" Angela ventured.

He put his elbows on the armrests and looked at Angela with a mischievous glint in his eyes. He clasped his hands together and let his chin rest on them. "About exactly what information are we talking here?"

The artist leaned a bit forward, her arms resting on the desk. "Depends on the reward. What are you willing to give?"

"Depends on what you're willing to spill."

Angela grinned. "I guess this is what you can call an impasse. You're not naming your reward for my intel and I'm not letting anything slip until you name your gift."

"The only difference is that I want to help Temperance."

Angela protested. "Hey, you aren't the only one who wants that! I'm one of her closest friends."

"No offence Angela, but right now I'm closer to Temperance than you are."

"No kidding." the artist mumbled. "I'd be on top of the list as well if I was having hot passionate sex with her." She sent Booth a smile. "You'll have to do better than that. Stating that a lover is closer than a friend is like stating that water is liquid."

"Come on Angela, you have to give me something here. Don't make me handcuff you and question you all day."

"Oh la la, you're going all FBI on me now. Does Brennan like it when you do that?" Angela asked him sweetly. Another devilish smile was playing around her lips.

"I just need a little piece of information I can use to break down the last bits of her walls. She's starting to feel at ease around me but I need her to open up even more."

"That's not an argument, Booth. I'm actually quite disappointed. I thought you were an excellent investigator and a close friend. You should be able to dig up information yourself."

Booth gazed at Angela's desk for a minute. "I just don't want to push her." he finally murmured. He glanced up and gave Angela his famous puppy-dog-eyes-look. "I don't want to push her back in that shell of hers."

The artist stared at him until a broad grin spread on her face. "And now the sentimental approach. I'm not buying it, Booth. You'll have to name your reward."

He stared her straight in the eye. She stared right back. Booth knew there wasn't anything else he could try. He had used all of his arguments. And he knew she knew he was out of tricks. He had to play the game her way. He sighed. Angela was one tough lady to negotiate with. He could only hope she would never turn into a terrorist. He leaned forward, resting his arms on the desk like Angela.

"Fine. You and bug boy. The Royal Pumpkin. Tomorrow evening. I'll pay for everything."

A very loud and delighted squeal almost made him cover his ears.

"Deal!"

---°---

Temperance closed her eyes for two seconds. For the past three hours she had been signing books non-stop. Every time she tried to take a break, there was another fan shoving his book in her face. She needed some fresh air, a cup of coffee and a session at the gym to work her frustration off. She cracked one eye open to take a peek at the last visitor. It was a broad shouldered man with sand-coloured hair. He held her book close to his chest as he studied her. _Great, another voyeur._ She closed her eye again. _Pull yourself together, Temperance. He's the last one today._ She rubbed her forehead before sighing and opening her eyes to look at the man.

"Hi, what can I sign for you?"

"Dr. Brennan, it's an honour to meet you." The man stepped forward. "I'd like you to sign my book."

As he smiled, Brennan caught sight of his white teeth. "Who should I sign it for?"

"The name's Tim." The man confidently leaned against the table. Temperance grabbed her pen to sign the front page of his book. "And while you're at it, why don't you write your phone number next to my name?"

_Oh wonderful, like I haven't heard that one before. If only I got a dollar every time a guy used that line. I'd be rich by now. _Her pen was left hovering over the title page as she slowly looked up with raised eyebrows. Her questioning gaze met his green eyes. He flashed her a smile.

"Watch out, Bones. You're making me jealous here." another male voice said.

A shiver ran down her spine. There was only one man who could give her goose bumps simply by opening his mouth. She shifted her gaze to the tall shadow appearing behind Tim. Booth threw a charm smile her way as he brushed past the other man to slip behind the table she was sitting at. She gave him one of her own charm smiles.

"Scared I might find someone better than you, Booth?"

"Not at all. I'm the best."

"Yes, and you're very modest about it." she mumbled.

A low chuckle escaping his mouth, he pushed a box over the table. Temperance curiously eyed it up and down. With a quick glance at Booth's face, she flipped it open. A delicious aroma immediately filled her nose. In the box were two large cups of freshly made coffee. She felt her mouth water. _How did he know about the coffee?_ She grabbed one of the cups to take a sip. She closed her eyes and emitted a soft grunt of satisfaction. _Black with a tad of sugar. Just how I like it._ With an appreciative look she mouthed a silent thank you to Booth. He smiled and slipped his arm around her shoulder. He opted to give her a small squeeze instead of nuzzling her hair with his nose. They were in a public place. They weren't alone. So he had to be professional. _Damn it._

"Dr. Brennan, don't forget my book." a very annoyed Tim interrupted.

"Oh yes … Right …" Temperance sighed and placed her precious cup of coffee on the table. _Damn it, why can't they leave me alone for two minutes?!_

"Excuse me, sir. As you can see, Dr. Brennan is taking a small break. She'll be with you in a second." Booth intervened.

"I only need an autograph, not her life story."

Booth let go of Temperance and went over to the other side of the table. He laid a friendly hand on Tim's shoulder. "Sir, please. Just let her breathe for a second. She has been sitting here all morning."

"That's right, pal. And I've been waiting that long! I want my autograph!"

Booth straightened himself to his full length. He was obviously taller than the other man. Tim's head barely reached his shoulder. Booth removed his hand from Tim's shoulder to point it straight at his face. Temperance's lips curled in an amused smile as she watched the other man wince. She knew Booth was being an alpha male again but she didn't mind. She was too bored to interrupt the first exciting thing that happened today.

"Listen, _pal_. The lady here is drinking her coffee. You've waited more than three hours already. I'm sure you won't mind waiting another five extra minutes. Got that, _buddy_?"

Tim glared at the FBI agent. Temperance took a swig of her hot coffee. She tilted her head a bit to the side to take a better look at Booth. _What do you know, Angela's right. He does show resemblance with the knights in fairytales. Just give him an armour, a sword and a horse and he's ready to slaughter some dragons._

"Who are you anyway, her boyfriend?" a frustrated Tim spat.

Temperance sighed. She looked at Booth, half expecting him to loose his temper. _Now he's going to grab his shirt to slam him against the wall. Typically alpha male._ To her surprise Booth only gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. _So much for predictable behaviour …_

"No, she's my partner." Booth hissed through his teeth. "It's my job to look out for her."

"Yeah, when she's dodging bullets. Not at a frigging book signing!" Tim snapped back.

Temperance got up and slammed her cup on the table, the lid preventing the coffee from spilling and saving her from a burned hand. "As a matter of fact, _Tim_ …" she insisted on his name as she grabbed her pen. "He _is_ my boyfriend." She quickly scribbled something down on the title page of the book. "Here's your autograph. Thank you for coming." She shoved the book against his chest.

Tim opened the book to see what message she had written. His excited look rapidly changed to a grim one. "Stop working on people's nerves. Patience is a virtue." he read out loud. The message was followed by a small scribble, what he supposed was her autograph. He glared at Brennan. "That's a lousy message!"

She shrugged. "If you've got a problem with it, talk to my partner. Although I wouldn't recommend it. He has a gun. A big one."

A quick glance at Booth was enough to make Tim gulp. The FBI agent was slowly reaching under his jacket, as if on the search for his weapon. He closed the book and hurried away, uttering a barely audible good bye. Booth could barely contain his laughter. As for Temperance, she calmly sipped her coffee while trying to comprehend what had just happened. _Did I just defend my relationship with Booth? Out loud?_

"I'm your _boyfriend_, Bones? Where did that come from?"

"Well you are, aren't you?" she retorted.

"Of course I am. But I said you were my partner. You know, to keep things …"

"Say the word professional and you'll be flat on your back faster then you can say vertebrae." Temperance interrupted. "This isn't work related."

"It is for you. You just disregarded our agreement."

"I didn't! I only bended the rules a bit."

"Whatever, Bones." Booth answered, a grin sneaking over his face.

"I figured it was the only way to shut that man up." she reasoned.

"Like I said: Whatever, Bones." He picked her large bag up from the ground. "You've just proven my point. It's for the best that people know about our relationship. Your professional and personal lives are intertwined, whether you like it or not."

"Let's not talk about that now, Booth." Brennan sighed. "I have a splitting headache."

"Whatever you want." _But we'll have to talk about it sooner or later._ He opened her bag. His glance fell on her pencils on the table. _I'll never forget that guy's face when she announced I wasn't afraid to use my gun._ He couldn't help but laugh out loud. Temperance gave him a strange look. What was so funny this time?

"Good one, Bones." Booth chuckled, the last vibes of laughter fading away. "Nice to know you don't mind bringing up my _big gun_ to threaten people."

"What?" Brennan answered, completely missing the double-entendre. She tipped her head back to catch the last drops of coffee in her cup. _Damn it, drained it all already._ She licked her lips and eyed the next cup.

"That one's for you as well."

"I couldn't, Booth. It's for you."

"Take it, Bones. I figured you'd need at least two dozes of caffeine. It's something only _boyfriends_ know."

Temperance decided to ignore his less than subtle statement and took hold of the second cup instead. She inhaled the delicious aroma before bringing it to her mouth. Booth started collecting all her belongings and stuffed them in her bag.

"I can do that myself, Booth."

He swung her bag over his shoulder. "I know. Just wanted to be a good _boyfriend._" He placed his hand on her lower back. "Let's get out of here. You need some fresh air."

---°---

He closed her door and jogged over to his side of the car. He got behind the steering wheel.

"Ready for some physical exercise?"

Temperance nodded her head. _How does he know I always go to the gym after a book signing?_ Booth turned the engine on. The large book store quickly disappeared from their sight. Temperance stared at the changing scenery for a few moments.

"How did you know I needed coffee?"

"It's something only _boyfriends_ know."

She raised her eyebrows. _Why does he keep on stressing that word?_ "And how come you know I want to go to the gym now?"

"Good _boyfriends_ are aware of those things. And I'm trying to be a good _boyfriend_ here."

_There. He's doing it again._ "I don't believe that, Booth."

"What? Is it that strange that I want to be the best _boyfriend_ you've ever had?"

"Booth!"

He had to stop the car because of a red light. It gave him the opportunity to grin broadly at the woman beside him. "What's the matter, Bones?" he innocently asked.

"For the past fifteen minutes, you have used the term _boyfriend_ at least sixty times!"

"You shouldn't have said it if you don't like how it sounds."

The light changed to green. He drove away. Temperance sighed. Booth threw a furtive glance at her. She didn't want to talk the whole be professional-issue through? Fine! He'd annoy her to no end in return.

---°---

"This is your apartment building, Booth."

He patted her hand. "Yeah, it is." He got out of the car and walked over to her side. He opened her door. "Let's go, Bones."

"What are we doing here?" She jumped out of the car. "I thought you were taking me to the gym."

"I said you needed some physical exercise. I never specified it."

"Well, you should have!"

He rolled his eyes and grabbed her hand. Before she knew it, she was being dragged towards the entrance of the building. Booth pushed a button to call the elevator. He slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her close to press a kiss on her hair. Temperance crossed her arms before her chest.

"I still don't believe you just _knew_ all those things."

"What things?"

"My need for coffee, fresh air and physical exhaustion. You're not a psychic so you couldn't have read my thoughts."

The elevator doors silently slid open. He pushed her inside. He chose the right floor and then turned to Temperance. With a charm smile, he cupped her face. He gazed at her for a minute before softly capturing her lips. The kiss ended when a soft ping announced the arrival on the seventh floor. They stepped out of the elevator.

"You talked to Angela." Temperance concluded.

He shrugged. "So what if I did?" He dug up his key to unlock the door. Pushing the door open, he once again grabbed her hand to drag her inside.

"What exactly did she tell you?"

"Just some stuff about your habits. Apparently book signings drive you crazy."

Booth threw his jacket over the back of his couch and placed the holster with his gun on the coffee table. He turned around to gaze at Brennan. He reached out to stroke her cheek. His fingers slowly descended to her jaw, then to her neck. He brought his face closer to hers. His hand disappeared into her hair as he softly nibbled her ear lobe. Temperance moaned and tilted her head to the side to give him better access. He left her ear to nibble at the sensitive skin of her neck. He used his other hand to pull her hips closer. He trailed his way back to her lips. This kiss tasted different. It was still tender but had a hint of raw desire in it. It made her shiver. She felt Booth was holding back. Did he want her to make the first move? The initiative had come from him the last few times they had sex. They almost hadn't made it into her apartment last night because of his impatience. The thought of having wild sex in the hallway made her shudder with desire. There was something indefinably tempting about having sex in public areas where an innocent bystander could easily walk in on you. Temperance made a mental note. _We should try that one day. Maybe we could use my office …_ An image of her and Booth tangled up on her office couch invaded her mind. Teeth grazing her collar bone brought her back to reality. Somehow her shirt had been peeled off and was now lying on the floor, together with her jacket and his tie. Temperance enjoyed the feeling of his lips on her skin. She put her hands on his chest to steady herself. His caresses always made her feel light-headed. She could feel the desire racing through her veins. It was only a matter of seconds before it would collide with the built up frustration. There would be no holding back then.

"Booth …" she breathed.

He left her neck alone to gaze at her. She searched his eyes – tenderness and longing were clouding them. He was without a doubt turned on and interested in a release of his sexual urges. The evidence of that was pressing against her thigh. With his fingertips he trailed her jaw bone. Even an innocent touch like that set her skin on fire. Normally they would've been naked by now. Booth was clearly holding back. He wanted her to take the lead this time. _Am I capable of doing that?_ Temperance thought in surprise. She considered herself an independent woman. Of course she was able to be the dominant party when it came to sex. Yet she had let Booth make every decision whenever it involved them getting naked and following their natural instincts. _What's so frightening about having the upper hand? He obviously wants me to make the decisions here._

"Seeley …" she said.

She hoped pronouncing his given name would show enough initiative. She began unbuttoning his shirt, feeling the tension build up in her stomach. _Damn those book signings._ she thought. _They always irritate me._ Temperance loved writing books. She was happy that people liked what she wrote. But she couldn't understand why the same people found it important to wait several hours in a never ending queue for her autograph. She, for instance, couldn't stand the waiting. She also couldn't cope with all those fans asking her superficial questions. Signing three books a minute and making polite conversations with people she didn't know personally wasn't what writing was about. That was why she always went to the gym afterwards. She needed a way to release her frustration. And now she was in Booth's apartment, on her way of relieving the pressure. Afterwards they would go back to the lab to work on the case. Her eyes slightly widened. The lab. The case. There was no time for a quick sexcapade. She had to use her pent up energy for her examination of the skeleton. Her hands came to a rest. She took a step backwards, leaving Booth's embrace while shaking her head.

"I can't, Booth … We can't …"

He stared at her in disbelief. She couldn't blame him. She had been on the proverbial point of no return. She had been on the verge of taking the lead and taking, well … him.

"You're refusing to have sex with me?" he asked.

Her eyes lingered over the naked flesh exposed by his unbuttoned shirt. She couldn't believe what she was about to say. "I guess I am." She picked her shirt up. Booth took it out of her hands and dropped it back on the floor.

"Nice try, Temperance, but you're not fooling me. You need to release all that built up frustration. And is there a better way to do that then to do it with me?"

"Booth, I usually use a punching bag." She was using his last name on purpose to create some distance between them. There was no telling what she would do if she saw his eyes darken even more with desire.

"Use me! I'm here at your disposal."

"But it's in the middle of the day." _What a lame excuse …_ "I have to go back to the lab. They need me there."

"No, they don't." Booth firmly answered. "The only ones that need you are me and my libido."

He closed the gap between them, scooping her up in his arms in one swift movement. He figured he had given her enough time to do with him as she pleased. But she had turned him down, using some stupid excuse about it being noon. There was nothing hotter than having a roll over lunch. _Well, that's not true._ he silently reasoned. _Bones in lace panties, now _that_ is hot!_ And now he was taking back control. He would invite her to be the leading party another time. Now he had to satisfy his burning hunger and, most importantly, get Temperance relaxed again. He had seen her before after a book signing. He had experienced her uncontrollable energy. If he remembered correctly, it had led to a rather mean dispute more than once. Bones bursting with energy was good, only someone had to guide her in the right direction. He threw her down on the bed. She propped herself up on her elbows and gave him a questioning look. Seeing the woman he craved for lying before him, her hair tangled up and the swell of her breasts alluring him, made him smile. This definitely was the right direction. Making love to her would most certainly be better than bickering over something silly.

Booth sat down on the edge of the bed. He placed a hand at each side of her body and leaned down to devour her lips. Her sweet taste rapidly went to his head. He still couldn't believe how soft and inviting her mouth was. The first time he had seen her, he had never imagined her to be like this. Who could've thought the cold and seemingly emotionless scientist turned into a hot blooded temptress the minute you kissed her? Now he understood what had driven all her ex-boyfriends. Once you got past those walls, you were in heaven. The most astonishing thing was that Temperance didn't seem to be aware of her power over men. She was a fascinating piece of art. Her tongue licking his bottom lip made him forget his thoughts for a second. With a low growl he grabbed her chin to hold her face still so he could deepen the kiss. Temperance pushed the shirt of his shoulders. Her expert fingers trailing his chest and arms caused his skin to pucker. He vaguely wondered what had possessed all those men to leave her. She wasn't just good in bed, she was the best. He couldn't remember ever being more satisfied after sex than with her. So what had driven her ex-lovers away?

"Booth, we can't …" _Maybe it was her knack of interrupting passionate moments._

"Sure we can."

"No really, we can't. We ran out of protection after our rather active night, remember?" _Or maybe it was her logical mind that never stopped reasoning. That could certainly be a mood killer._ He grimaced. But he smiled nonetheless as he reached for the small packages in his pocket. _But then again, you could always convince a rational mind with the right arguments._

"A good sportsman never forgets his equipment." He threw the packages on the nightstand. "Now let's get some exercise."

She glanced at the condoms. _He came prepared._ She shrugged and pulled him on top of her. She was out of arguments now. It was time to shush her inner scientist with some mind blowing sex. She had racked her brain before over that matter. What made sex with Seeley Booth better than any sex she had had before? She quickly brushed the thought aside. She'd muse about that later.

Her hands descended to his trousers. "What else have you got hidden in there?" she mumbled.

Fumbling with the button of her jeans, Seeley answered "A pair of handcuffs but I'm pretty sure you're not into that." He finally managed to pop the button of her trousers open. The zipper was next. "Although Angela thinks you're into that kinky stuff." He pushed her trousers down. "Earlier today she was wondering if I ever get federal on your ass."

A groan rolled over his lips when he saw her panties. The pair of red lace panties fitted her perfectly. It made his blood boil even more. Temperance reached out to zip his trousers open. Too many clothes separated them to her liking. His hands crept up her leg towards her underwear. Her breathing became ragged when he neared the centre of her burning desire. He dipped his head to take away the last bit of air that was still in her lungs. A long passionate kiss later he came back up for air. He laid himself down beside her.

"I don't know what that means." a breathless Temperance blurted out.

He placed a finger on her lips. "Shhtt Bones. Not now. Not when I'm turned on."

As he grabbed one of the packages off the nightstand and rolled on top of her, he silently thanked the artist for advising him to pick up Temperance after her book signing. She had certainly deserved her night out with Hodgins. At the same time Temperance was thinking that exercising with Booth was a lot more fun and satisfying than throwing punches at a punching bag. It certainly was a technique worth using in the future.


	13. Week 2: Friday

Author's note: Ladies and gentlemen (if there are any who are reading this), may I present: a peek inside a psychopath's mind. And may I add that I have absolutely no idea how Booth and Brennan became partners. From the first episode I can deduct that they have been assigned on a case before Brennan came back to D.C. So I have taken the liberty to imagine a couple of things from when they were forced to work together, before their reunification at the airport. Did that make any sense? °lol° I almost posted another mistake: "Just thinking about him made her curls toe". It seems that the human body is capable of doing the strangest things in my story! Oh yes, a final warning: BB are having another weird conversation that is just too crazy to describe. To put it differently, a conversation _I_ could only write. °lol°

For my reviewers: Ah yes, my faithful reviewers. I can't thank you enough for the support you keep giving me. Let's make a deal. If I have more than 100 reviews before Thursday evening, I will post the next chapter on Friday. Otherwise you'll have to wait until Saturday (or maybe even Sunday I feel like torturing you). Deal? °grins evilly° As always, lots and lots of thank you's to _angel6_ (the first part of this chapter is inspired by you by the way, this is the idea I was talking about), _Bellabun_ (don't worry about long replies, I _love_ them. thanks for explaining everything, means a lot to me), _Afw_, _Anna_ (thanks for your explanation as well), _Egyptianautumn_, _I hart Booth, krisnina77, Amasayda _and _EternalConfusion_. _Howdylynn_, there's a reference to the advice you gave me a while ago. hehe

Disclaimer: The creators of _Bones _obviously own the show and the characters, I don't. I only own the flu that's currently bugging me and, of course, this fluffy plot my romantic mind has produced.

**- Week 2: Friday -  
----------------------------------**

Special Agent Charlie Zellar pulled up at the first available parking spot he saw. He contemplated his surroundings for a minute. The Jeffersonian Institute towered up high before him. It certainly was an impressive building with its many windows, large entrance and endless lawn. The sun shone down on him as he got out of the car and locked the door. It was a beautiful Friday morning. But the cloudless blue sky and warm sunshine couldn't brighten his awful mood. That morning he had woken up with the foul smell of defeat lingering in his mouth. He had dreamt of _her_ again. She hadn't left his dreams, or his thoughts for that matter, ever since he had seen her crawling around in that dumpster. She had taken over his head. And he couldn't have her. Agent Booth had made that very clear last Wednesday. He resented himself for obsessing so much over a woman who was out of his reach. He glared at the free parking spot next to her silver convertible; a little sign said it was reserved for Special Agent Booth. What did he have anyway that he didn't? Besides his own parking space and a hot scientist for a partner ... He entered the Jeffersonian and made his way to the lab. He was about to climb the stairs to the platform when a security guard asked him for his badge. He let out a loud curse. He didn't have authorisation to enter the lab!

After five minutes of arguing with the guard, he saw a familiar figure appear on the platform. He fell silent for a moment, drinking in her pale skin and auburn hair locks. His eyes raked over her slender form as she bent over one of the examination tables. His hands itched; he would give a fortune to touch her. But he couldn't. She wasn't his, although she should be. In his opinion he would take care of her far better than Booth. He wouldn't let her work this early, he wasn't a morning person himself. Either Booth didn't care enough about her night rest or he was too weak to handle her. _It must be the latter_. he smirked.

"Hey, Dr. Brennan!" he shouted. "I've got some new information on our victim!"

Temperance slowly lifted her gaze from the skeleton onto the blond haired agent who was maniacally waving a vanilla coloured folder at her. She raised her eyebrows and inwardly moaned in irritation. _What's he doing here?_ She looked at her watch. _At this hour?_ She turned her focus back to the skeleton. She wasn't in the mood to deal with that obnoxious jerk. How he had approached her at the crime scene and how he had tried to feel her up at the FBI ball was still freshly imprinted in her mind. He treated her like an apathetic woman, like an object. And if there was one thing she hated, than it was being handled like a controllable woman without a free will who could easily be pushed aside.

"Dr. Brennan!" Zellar shouted again.

Sure, Booth tried to push her aside from time to time too but that was different. He did that for her own protection. And he didn't really _push_ her aside; he more like silenced her while he stepped up to take on whatever or whoever was bothering her. He didn't mean to make her feel like a useless object, but like a desirable woman who was worth fighting for. Temperance sighed. His knight-like behaviour was getting to her. She found herself enjoying his alpha male tendencies lately. The persistent waving of Agent Zellar caught her attention again. She expected him to start jumping up and down any minute now. Tom, the security guard, was trying to calm the man down. Why didn't he come up the stairs anyway? _Oh right, he doesn't have a badge._ Suddenly she got an idea. _Why not tease him a bit?_

She walked over to the edge of the platform. "What are you doing down there, agent Zellar?"

He let out an exasperated sigh. "I'm trying to get onto the platform."

"What's holding you back then? There's a stairs you can use."

"I'm not authorised. This guy here won't let me through because I don't have a badge."

Temperance feigned surprise. "Is that so?" She turned to the guard. "Tom …" Zellar grinned at him. Temperance was going to order Tom to let him through. That would show that irritating guard! "Keep up the good work."

_What?!_ Zellar's mouth fell open. _Keep up the good work?!_ She was supposed to help him, not the guard! "But what about the case? I've got important information here. How am I supposed to give it to you if I'm not allowed up there?"

She shrugged. "I guess you'll have to wait for Agent Booth. He has a badge." She turned around to walk away. An incredulous WHAT?! floated up the stairs. Grabbing her notes again, she silently added "And at least he has manners."

---°---

A smiling Booth entered the Jeffersonian. Hands in pockets he strolled towards the stairs. "Morning Tom." He nodded at the guard. It wasn't until he scanned his badge that he noticed the sulking figure a couple of yards away. "Agent Zellar, what are you doing here?"

The FBI agent in question made his way over to the stairs. He was once again stopped by the security guard. "I have some information about the case I wanted to give to Dr. Brennan. But I'm not allowed up there."

"No, I meant what are _you_ doing _here_ right now. The information you gather should be given to the agent leading the investigation. In this case, that would be me."

Temperance came down the stairs, having heard Booth's voice. They exchanged smiles. "Morning Bones." he murmured. He had to refrain himself from saying "hey beautiful". They still hadn't sorted through the whole separate-work-pleasure business. But he couldn't ignore how she positioned herself next to him, her hip and arm touching his. _This certainly isn't professional but who am I to complain?_ He gave Zellar, who was eyeing Brennan up and down, an intense stare. "Well Zellar?" The other agent's head snapped up. Reluctantly he handed over the folder. Booth flicked through it. Temperance leaned in a bit to read along with him. This made Zellar grit his teeth. From where he was standing, still at the bottom of the stairs, they looked like just two partners going through a file. But he knew better. It was the way their bodies were always touching, never once losing contact, how Booth waited to turn the page until Temperance was done reading. He watched her cross her arms and step even closer to him. Their body language was more than clear. They belonged together. All those small moves … A slight roll of her hip to stay in contact with him, a tap of his finger on her arm to attract her attention, the furtive glances they exchanged … They all enraged him. She should be doing that with him!

Charlie Zellar was a simple man. He had had a regular childhood, with loving parents and good friends. He had the necessary experience with women; he knew he was an attractive man with a healthy dose of charm. And he had the same dream as every other normal man: a beautiful wife, a couple of kids, a dog and a white picket fenced house. The only problem was that he had been disappointed too many times before. Somehow he always managed to fall for the wrong women. And Dr. Temperance Brennan was no exception. He was sick of it. He had been attracted to her the second he had seen her photo on the back of her book. He had promised himself that he would find a way to meet her. The day Cullen had announced that he was in search of an agent who wanted to be the liaison with the Jeffersonian, he had truly believed faith was giving him a hand. He had been one of the many agents who had volunteered to become Brennan's partner. The strange thing was that Cullen hadn't chosen either one of them but had instead opted for Seeley Booth, an agent who refused to believe in the usefulness of science. How could a man who only believed in good old police investigation and following your instinct be the right man for the job? It had taken Zellar several months to get over what he now considered a minor set-back. Working together with an idiot who loved to follow his gut would show the good doctor the priceless value of a man who loved science. Especially when science looked so hot in a lab coat. His gaze appreciatively traced her female curves in the oversized coat. He came to a rest on her hand who was now covering Booth's arm to stop him from turning the page.

If only she knew how many strings he had pulled to be present at that crime scene. He had figured it was his chance to finally meet her and blow her away with his charm. Instead she had blown him away with a half rotten skull.

"You know what this means, Bones?"

It were the first words he could actually understand. Their previous exchanges had been whispered so he couldn't hear them.

"No, what?"

"Road trip!"

Zellar felt someone come up behind him. The ticking of high heels and the high pitched sound of a squeal warned him. A pretty dark-haired woman brushed past him and skipped up the stairs after having herself scanned in. A groan escaped him. _Great, another one with a badge. _

"Morning lovebirds." the newcomer said. "Who's going on a road trip?"

"Me and Bones are."

Zellar clenched his fists. They were going out of state for the case. Together. Of course. They were partners after all. He could only imagine what they would do to occupy themselves after having questioned friends, relatives and who else was important to the victim.

"Really? Wonderful!" The knowing smirk accompanying the words spoken by the dark-haired woman confirmed his suspicions. They would go, get cosy and come back even more attached to each other.

"I can't." Temperance said. The words were like a cold shower for Booth and Angela but a more than welcome gift for Zellar. "I have to give a lecture about how to write a good book." Zellar saw a disappointed look appear on Booth's face. "I can't cancel, Booth. I've already delayed the lecture at least three times. If I don't give it now, my publisher will have my head. She says it's some kind of advertising. I have to do it. Otherwise she'll make me do three book signings a week. And you know how much I despise book signings." He couldn't help but notice the sudden glint of desire appear in Booth's eyes and the small smile playing around his lips. _What's that all about?_

"Too bad, Bones. Just think of all the fun you're going to miss."

"And all the weight you could loose." the woman who had just joined them mumbled.

Zellar noted the disappointment written all over their faces. And the comforting hand Temperance placed on Booth's arm. _What's the matter with those two? Can't they leave each other alone for two seconds?!_

He cleared his throat. "I'll go with you, Agent Booth." _Then I can discover what Tempe finds so great about you. And use it to my own advantage._

"No need, Agent Zellar." The icy undertone of his answer was clearly audible. "The only one that could possibly go with me is my partner. But since she has other appointments, I'll have to go by myself." _Damn it, there goes my chance._ "By the way, you haven't answered my question yet. What are you exactly doing _here_? Everything you find should be reported to me, not to Dr. Brennan."

Zellar gulped. Booth's question made him feel uncomfortable. What was he supposed to tell him? That he had worked his ass off to recover all that information so he had an excuse to go to her and present her the file? The fact that Booth was the FBI agent in charge here and not Dr. Temperance Brennan had escaped his thoughts for a moment. He couldn't tell Booth those things; he'd be thrown off the case within five seconds! _Nice going Charlie, now you've really gotten yourself into something._

He'd have to make a wild guess.

"I went by your office earlier this morning. Since you weren't there, I figured you'd be here at the lab. With Dr. Brennan."

His explanation seemed to satisfy Booth. He'd probably guessed right about Booth not being at FBI headquarters earlier. Booth turned around, placed his hand on Temperance's lower back and ushered her off the platform towards her office. The dark-haired woman next to Zellar sighed dramatically.

"Aren't they the cutest couple ever? I'm so glad that they're finally together!"

He wasn't glad. He definitely wasn't glad. It had taken him ages to get this close to her and now some ass was claiming her. The same god damned ass that had taken the job he was meant to do. He was the one that should've been Brennan's partner. He was the one that should've been up there, reading that file with her. Not Seeley Booth. He turned around and hurried out of the Jeffersonian, all the while cursing Seeley Booth for being such a lucky bastard.

---°---

"It's a shame that Mario Brown didn't live in D.C. Now I have to go all the way to California to question his relatives." Booth leaned against the desk as Temperance sat down.

"That's part of your job, Booth. You _are_ a Federal Agent. Besides, you've done it before. Remember that Callifornian girl we couldn't identify because those butchers had altered her face?"

"Of course I remember her. But this is different." He came around the desk and sat down on the edge. "You were there with me, now you're not."

"Oh right, you won't have the best driver of D.C. with you now." Temperance playfully hit his leg. Booth chuckled. "You'll be just fine, Booth."

He put the folder down on the desk. Slowly he rose to his feet. Temperance watched him come closer, putting his hands on the armrests of her chair. His face hovered dangerously close to hers. She felt her heart rate and breathing speed up. She knew the feeling was caused by several chemical reactions but that didn't stop her from enjoying the pleasant chills that were running up and down her spine. "I'm not worried about performing my job. I'm worried about you."

She glared at him. "You seem to keep forgetting that I am a grown up woman, trained in martial arts and gifted with common sense, therefore I am perfectly capable of defending myself." She poked his chest. "I don't need your alpha male dominance."

A lazy smile tugged at Booth's lips. "Who says I was worried about that? I am aware of your abilities, Bones." He leaned in again, ignoring her poking finger. "I'm just worried about your physical condition." He received an incredulous look that was curious at the same time. "I'm wondering how you're going to handle your recently created addiction for copulation. Studies have shown that during an orgasm large amounts of endorphins are released into the bloodstream. And, as you certainly know, endorphins are believed to be responsible for our feeling of happiness."

Temperance opened her mouth to speak but couldn't find the right words. Instead, she just gawked at him. _He's damn sexy when he's talking like a scientist._ Booth continued unfazed by Tempe's fish-like gawking. "And we both know you have received plenty of endorphins lately. I can only imagine what a sudden stop of those hormone doses will do to you."

The corners of her lips curved upwards in a seductive smile. She sat up straight, bringing her face even closer to his. A hint of desire flickered in his eyes. She noticed his breath catching. Her smile grew wider when she realised how much of an effect she was having on him, how her action startled him. He obviously hadn't expected her to invade his personal space like he had done before. Her hands crept up the armrests. She let her fingers dance over the back of his hand for a moment, revelling in the power she had over him. This was what she had been mulling about the day before: taking the lead.

"Well, Seeley …" Her heart leapt as she saw the chocolate brown of his eyes turn into the darkest possible shade of brown, a shade she loved to see. She purposely licked her dry lips, knowing it would turn him on even more. _Good, I want him get so excited he won't even think about refusing my offer._ From the corning of her eyes, she saw her couch. It practically screamed at her "Go for it! Live out your fantasy!" Her left hand drew small circles on his hand. She tilted her head a bit before repeating her words. "Well, Seeley … If you're _that_ worried about my health, why don't you give me an extra boost of endorphins before you leave?"

He blinked at her. Once. Twice. Then his trademark charm smile replaced his stunned expression. "I'd love to Temperance, but that wouldn't be very professional. After all, we _are_ in your office. That would be bending the rules a bit too much."

Temperance softly groaned. _Damn it, now he's using my own words against me. Just when I finally had the courage to take the first step. Damn you Seeley Booth. Damn you, your impeccable memory and your need to twist everything to your advantage … Which is irresistible!_ Her right hand left the armrest to play with Booth's tie. "Listen Seeley, I may have exaggerated a bit when I asked you to be strictly professional." A quick quirk of his eyebrows confirmed that he shared her opinion. "Throughout the last few days, I have observed you while you were trying to be my partner instead of my partner who shares the same bed as me. I have to say it amused me. You're quite sexy when you're trying to suppress your manly urges to come to my rescue every time a guy is taking too many liberties." Her fingers tugged at his tie while she took a deep breath. "It was an interesting experiment."

His irises slightly widened and his mouth fell open. This time it was Booth who was opening and closing his mouth like a fish. "An experiment?" he finally managed to get out.

"Yes, an experiment."

Booth took a step backwards and crossed his arms before his chest. He eyed her suspiciously. "You've been playing me."

"I have not been _playing_ you, you're not a CD." The momentary closing of his eyes told her she had once again misinterpreted a pop culture reference. "At least let me explain before you go running off, cursing everything scientific." He motioned her to continue. "When we started this … thing …" She waved at them.

"Relationship. This _thing_ as you call it, is a relationship."

"Fine, when we started this _relationship_ I was afraid it might compromise our work. I was afraid you might concentrate more on me then on the case. As much as I enjoy your attention, the dead bodies on my table deserve it too."

"I know that, Bones."

"Of course you do." She dismissed his interruption with a wave of her hand. "I wanted to know if you were still focused when our relationship changed from partners to lovers. My head needed to verify what my heart already knew, that you stay dedicated to your work no matter what happens." She sent him a warm smile. "You haven't failed me, Seeley. The experiment was a success." She rose to her feet and reached out to tug at his tie. He took a step closer. "Your chivalry is quite endearing, Booth. You've convinced me that not all alpha male tendencies are irritating."

"Really?" With a lopsided grin he encircled her waist with his arms. "What about our heated argument in Zellar's office?"

Her hands travelled up his arms to come to a stop on his shoulders. "Part of the experiment. I saw him as a way of testing your jealousy." She massaged his shoulders. "The fact that I wasn't particularly interested in him at the crime scene should've tipped you off."

"What about all those dances at the FBI ball? Also part of your little experiment?"

She massaged her way to his neck, fiddling with the small hairs at the back. "Sort of, yes. I couldn't let your fellow agents think a squint can't dance. I've got a reputation to maintain."

"And that guy yesterday at the book signing?"

"Unexpected but very useful. I stopped the experiment as soon as I saw how you handled the situation. You stayed professional and respectful, even though you'd rather wanted to strangle him." She leaned in, whispering. "I'll let you in on a secret, I felt the same urge."

Booth chuckled. "You're full of surprises, Bones." He pressed a chaste kiss on her lips. "I'm glad we got this be-professional business sorted out."

"Me too." She wetted her lips. "Now what about my dose of endorphins?"

He grinned and leaned in so close that their noses were touching. She felt his hot breath caress her skin. A shiver ran down her spine and made her knees buckle a bit with anticipation. "Let's focus on the case now. I promise I'll make it up to you later, before I leave." The look of disappointment that overtook her eyes made him chuckle again. "Just testing your dedication to our mission, Bones." He playfully tapped her bum before removing her hands from his neck and taking a step back.

Temperance pouted. Booth grinned at the sight. Dr. Temperance Brennan, the leading anthropologist of the Jeffersonian, renowned writer, was pouting like a school girl because she didn't have things her way. She retreated and sat down behind her desk. He put his hands in his pockets and watched her grab the file and flick through it.

"I wonder what he was doing here." Temperance mused.

"Zellar?" His mind wandered back to their meeting half an hour ago. He didn't believe the lame excuse of the agent. He hadn't been here to give him the freshly gathered information; he had come to the lab to impress Brennan. His stomach twitched. _Apparently the guy can't take a hint._

"No, Mario Brown." Her short answer snapped him out of his thoughts. _Right, the victim._

"Besides getting stabbed and beheaded, who knows? That's for us to figure out, partner."

"No, that's for you to figure out. I'm staying here."

"You sure you can't wiggle yourself out of that lecture thing one more time? I was looking forward to having a little fun in the sun with you …"

---°---

She flopped down on her bed with a deep sigh. What a day it had been. Too much had happened to categorize this Friday as everything except normal. Take the lecture for example, it had drained her completely. _Who could've guessed so many women want to know my writing secret?_ One after another had fired her question at her, all expecting a long and detailed answer. _They were worse than bloodhounds._ A familiar face invaded her thoughts. _Booth …_ He wasn't here with her but she still could see his charm smile. Just thinking about him made her toes curl. The sex they had just before she had dropped him off at the airport had been amazing, like always. A satisfied smile decorated her face. She knew already that she'd never tire of being intimate with Booth. But her happy smile quickly faded when the words of one of the women who had attended her lecture came back to her.

--° _Flashback _°--

"Next question, please. Yes Miss, with the yellow T-shirt?"

"Dr. Brennan, are you and your partner an item?"

She furrowed her brows in confusion. "If you have read my book closely then you'd know the FBI agent and the anthropologist in it aren't together."

The woman shook her head. "No, I mean you and agent Booth."

"How do you know my partner's name?" she queried.

"It's in _Gossip Weekly_. You and Special Agent Seeley Booth are the talk of the town." The woman waved at her with a copy of the magazine.

Temperance rushed towards her to snatch the magazine from her fingers and flip through it herself, to verify the woman's statement.

--° _End flashback_ °--

_A page long article!_ she groaned in frustration. _That bastard dedicated page three entirely to our little mishap at the book signing! _And the conclusions he had drawn from it. He had written that personal experience had taught him that Dr. Temperance Brennan and Special Agent Seeley Booth were, indeed, partners. Both at work as in the sack. Temperance helplessly slapped her bed covers. Who could've thought that Tim, the annoying dwarf who she had threatened with Booth's big gun, was in reality Tim Saunders, famous gossip reporter? _See, another reason to despise book signings._ She sighed. She picked up the magazine and read through the article one more time. There was nothing she could do, Tim Saunders had written the truth, as frustrating as it was to admit that. She and Booth were, as a matter of fact, sleeping together. She sighed again. _Gossip Weekly_ had thousands of readers. Now all of them knew about her relationship. They weren't even together for a week and already the whole of D.C. was informed about how they had broken one of the most important rules in the FBI manual: Do not fraternize with your partner. She grimaced. _This is way beyond fraternizing._ She tossed the magazine aside. _I should've strangled him when I had the chance._


	14. Week 2: Saturday

Author's Note: For those who have read my profile, remember when I said that shards of our personality slip into our stories? Well, the discomfort I feel in certain shops has been worked into this chapter. One more thing I'd like to mention here is that I've got a whole week of holidays coming up. You know what that means, right? °grins° Oh yes, more crazy conversations in this chapter. You know what they say, it takes a crazy person to write crazy things ... Hehe.

For my reviewers: I came one review short, _one_ review! But it doesn't matter because I have gotten a couple of reviews from people who normally don't review. So that made my day. :-) As I promised you, another chapter on Saturday. Big thank you's to _angel6 _(as always thank you for your support), _I hart Booth_ (thank you for the encouragement, compliments and inspiration)_, krisnina77, immalee_ (I'm actually Belgian, not Dutch - BIG difference there °lol°), _Bsquared19_ (2 reviews - I loved that!)_, Egyptianautumn, Amasayda_ (Did my last message scare you? °lol°), _Halfpastdead001, Bellabun_ (your begging made me post this chapter today instead of tomorrow, hehe) and _Claire._

Disclaimer: I forgot to mention it in the previous chapter but _Gossip Weekly_ is something my overly active mind came up with, therefore it's mine. Unless, of course, the magazine truly exists. Then it's not mine, duh. As for _Bones_, I'm still no millionaire so I still don't own them.

**- Week 2: Saturday -  
--------------------------------**

It was seven o'clock in the morning. The alarm clock cheerfully beeped off. Temperance threw back the covers and gave the device a not so cheerful glare. It had taken her several hours before she finally had managed to slip away in a blissful sleep and now the persistent beeping had torn her right out of it. She sighed. _Since when did being mad at an alarm clock solve anything?_ She got out of bed and patted across her bedroom to the bathroom. A shower and a tête-à-tête with her hairdryer later, she made her way to the kitchen. Humming a tune she had heard Booth hum before, she made some coffee. Minutes later she was leaning against her counter, sipping her hot coffee. She wrinkled her nose and looked at her cup. _Something's not right. This coffee tastes awful._ In her head she retraced her steps. _Coffee beans? Check. Enough water? Check. Pushed the 'regular coffee' button instead of 'cappuccino'? Check. What the hell went wrong then?_ She tried another sip. It still tasted awful. Then it hit her. _Seeley uses a different kind of coffee._ She had spent so much time at his apartment that she had gotten used to his coffee. Temperance shook her head and smiled. _Unbelievable how the human body adapts._

She was about to leave for work when her stomach loudly protested. She frowned. _What's wrong this time?_ She couldn't possibly be hungry. She never had breakfast in the morning! Her stomach produced some more noise. Temperance sighed. _But that was before Seeley forced me to eat every morning._ She hung up her coat again and went back to the kitchen. Temperance opened her refrigerator. It was empty. _Damn it, forgot to go to the store for some food. I really spend too many morning's at Booth's._ Her gaze travelled through the kitchen before it came to a rest on a basket with fruit on the table. She went over to the table and tentatively picked up an orange. _I could always try to make some fruit salad like Seeley does._ She threw the orange in the air and caught it again as she softly laughed. _Unbelievable how quick a human being adjusts to changes._

---°---

Angela strode onto the platform, wearing a huge smile. Her smile grew even bigger when she noticed the curly-haired doctor bent over something that looked a lot like regular mud. She walked over to him and enthusiastically tapped him on the shoulder. The scientist snapped up his head to give whoever was bothering him a dirty look. His face softened immediately when he saw the artist, grinning broadly at him. He put the goggles he was wearing on top of his head so he could properly drink in Angela's appearance.

"Hey, you." Angela said, softly nudging Hodgins' shoulder.

"Hey, yourself." he answered, nudging her shoulder back.

They gazed at each other for a long time, neither of them wanting to break the silence and both wanting to spill everything they thought of. Finally Angela cleared her throat and put her hands in her lab coat's pockets.

"I uhm … I had an uhm …" Angela began, looking everywhere except at Hodgins' face. "What the hell is she doing here?!" she suddenly exclaimed.

Hodgins' eyebrows shot up. With an astonished look he watched Angela rush off towards Brennan's office.

"I had a nice evening too." he muttered as he put his goggles back on to return to his dirt sample.

---°---

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Angela repeated, skidding to a stop at Temperance's desk. She defiantly put her hands on her hips and gave her friend an expectant stare. Temperance calmly finished writing her sentence and then turned her attention to the artist.

"What does it look like I'm doing, Angela? I'm catching up on some paperwork."

"I can see that! But _why on earth_ are you doing that now?" She crossed her arms and tapped her foot. "You _do_ now what day it is, right?"

"Of course I know. It's Saturday."

Angela leaned a bit forward, staring into Tempe's eyes, hoping that she would catch up on her reasoning. Temperance bluntly stared back. "Yeah, it's _Saturday_…" the artist tried again. When she got nothing but an unknowing stare in return, she threw her hands up in the air. "I can't believe you! Booth hasn't been gone for a day or already you're taking up your hold habits again!" She narrowed her eyes and jabbed a pointed finger in Brennan's direction. "Well not on my watch."

Angela grabbed Temperance's bag and started collecting all her belongings. "It's Saturday, for crying out loud." She took hold of Tempe's laptop as she threw a pointed look at the anthropologist. "One of the few days you don't have to work, for your information." She carefully put the computer away. "And what are you doing? Working!" She closed the bag and circled around the desk to pull Tempe's chair back. "Get up, sweetie."

"No, I refuse to." Tempe grabbed the edge of her desk and pulled her chair forward again. "I've always worked on Saturdays. Why should today be any different?"

Angela sighed. She reached out and turned Temperance's chair again. "Listen sweetie, I'm sure you've still got loads to do but I'm begging you to drop it all and sneak away with me. I'm betting Booth doesn't even know you're here."

Temperance smirked. "It's ridiculous of you to say such things, Angela. It's typical to assume that the man should always know where his companion is. It's absurd to even consider that I, Temperance Brennan - independent woman with several PhD's - should report every move I make to the man who happens to share my bed. It's even more ridiculous to state that I shouldn't work because it happens to be the sixth day of the week. Seriously Angela, did you even stop for a minute to consider your arguments?"

The artist pinched her nose bridge to regain her calm. _Why does she have to be so stubborn?_ "Let me put this differently, in terms we can both understand. You and Booth are a couple now. That means that Booth worries even more about you then he did before. He wants you to take the weekend off and Saturday _is_ part of the weekend. He wants you to have fun while he's away, working on a case. And look around you, you can't have fun here, between skulls, finger bones and other body parts!"

"No, I'm not coming with you." Temperance said again.

Angela studied her friends' face for a moment before stating "That article has got you all hot and bothered, isn't it sweetie?"

Temperance reclined a bit in her chair to put some extra distance between her and the artist. "I'm not hot. My body temperature is just fine, thank you." She sighed. "But yes, it is bothering me."

"You shouldn't worry about it so much, sweetie. It's just a stupid article." Angela softly patted her shoulder. "But for now, let's leave this place to do something fun."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Let's see what we could do: hit the mall, watch a movie, participate in a street car race, climb Mount Everest … We can go feed the ducks in the park for all I care! Let's just do something fun among best friends."

Temperance sighed. "Alright, let's go." she said, peeling off her lab coat and replacing it with her normal jacket.

"Great!" Angela exclaimed. She took hold of Temperance's wrist with one hand and the handle of Brennan's bag with the other. She rushed out of the office, dragging Brennan along with her. "Hodgins, we're taking the day off!" she yelled over her shoulder. Jack gave her a thumbs up to signal he had heard her.

"Zack, don't forget to clean the bones of the Indian skeleton that arrived yesterday!" Temperance managed to yell before Angela viciously pulled her towards the exit door.

"Will do Dr. Brennan …" the young soon-to-be doctor answered, trailing off as he saw the two women disappear out of the lab. He turned towards Hodgins. "Is Dr. Brennan taking the day off?" He received an affirming nod. He shrugged. "I hope she'll enjoy it. All work and no play … Well, you know." He turned and sauntered off towards one of the separate examination rooms.

---°---

They entered what must've been the fifth shop in less than fifteen minutes - at least that's what Temperance thought. _At this rate, we'll have seen the entire mall in less than two hours._ She took in her surroundings. This time they were at a lingerie shop. The life-size pictures of half naked models showing several pieces of woman's underwear combined with the sensual music that floated through the shop, surely created an intimate atmosphere. The whole shop oozed out too much sexuality to Temperance's liking. Women couldn't possibly be comfortable here, surrounded by photographs of slim models with fake tans and pieces of clothing that were supposed to be elegant and seductive at the same time. She shook her head as she watched Angela dive into a pile of negligees. _She's not the least uncomfortable._ _But then again, it's Angela we're talking about here. She and her sexuality are like hand and glove._ She picked up one of the see-through pieces of clothing and held it between her forefinger and thumb to study it carefully. _Why would anyone buy this? It's see-through, for goodness sake! You might as well wear nothing at all._

"Angela, what are we exactly doing here?"

"What does it look like we're doing? Buying something nice to please our men, of course." She held a dark red negligee with matching garters in front of her. "What do you think? Sexy or slutty?"

Temperance stared at her, not quite knowing whether she should answer the question or avoid it by saying that she was a woman, not a man and that she therefore couldn't rate the sexiness of the negligee. Angela solved her dilemma by throwing the piece of clothing back onto the pile. "Red isn't my colour. Jack would probably like black more."

Temperance wondered why anyone would even consider buying sexy underwear. The whole thong-trend had passed her. She couldn't comprehend why a man considered a string that barely covered the essential parts arousing. She had tried wearing it once and had ended up constantly pulling the string. A pair of comfortable cotton panties was more her style. _Not since you discovered Booth likes lace._ a small voice inside her head said. She felt her cheeks redden. _It's true. Ever since I found out lace turns him on, I wear it everyday._ Suddenly she snapped back to reality. _Did she just say Jack?_

"Jack?" Temperance queried. "As in Jack Hodgins?"

"Well yeah, do you know any other Jacks?"

She was about to reply when her mobile phone went off. Every head in the shop turned in her direction. Her cheeks reddened even more as she frantically searched for her phone in her bag. When she finally found it, she flipped it open without checking the caller ID and ducked behind a rack with dressing gowns.

"Brennan."

"What? No 'hey honey'?"

"Booth …" she breathed, relieved to hear his voice. "How's the case going?"

"I can't believe you, Bones. Typical of you to immediately bring up the case. No 'How are you'."

"Booth …"

"No 'I'm glad you finally called'." he continued.

"Booth …"

"No 'I miss you, Seeley'."

"Booth!" Temperance whispered in a fierce tone.

"Yes, Bones?" he innocently answered.

She sighed. "How are you?"

"I'm alright I guess, considering my partner isn't here with me. How's everything with you?"

"I'm okay. I uhm …" She fumbled with one of the dressing gowns. "I uhm … I mi …" She panicked. _I can't say it._ "Did you know about Angela and Hodgins?" she quickly changed the subject.

"Yeah, of course I knew. I even financed one of their dates." There was a moment of silence where neither of them knew what to say. Booth was wondering what Brennan was about to say before she abruptly changed the subject. Temperance was trying to wrap her mind around the idea of Angela and Hodgins being a couple. Finally Booth cleared his throat. "Where are you now, Bones?"

A blush crept up her neck again. "At a lingerie shop. With Angela."

"That explains the background music. I figured you weren't the type to listen to women panting on a sensual beat." He could feel her smile on the other side of the phone. "Are you going to buy something, Temperance?" he carried on, in a deeper voice. His warm baritone sent chills down her spine.

"Do you want me to, Seeley?" she retorted, using her throaty voice to its fullest potential.

"Why don't you surprise me?"

She softly laughed. "When will you be back?"

"The questionings are going well so I expect to be home again tomorrow evening. I'll give you a call."

"So you don't have an idea about who could've had a motive to kill Brown?"

"I haven't met anyone yet who matches your description of the possible killer. As for the motive, his family loved him deeply so we can rule them out." He sighed. "I have absolutely no idea who could've murdered him."

"What about your gut feeling? Hasn't it given you a sign yet?"

Booth chuckled. "That's enough Bones, stop thinking about the case. I've got everything under control. I'll keep you posted on any new developments. You just enjoy yourself with Angela. Enjoy your day off."

"My _forced_ day off." Temperance mumbled.

"Say Bones, have you seen Zellar today?"

"No, I haven't."

"Good, very good. Keep it that way."

"Why Booth, do I detect a hint of jealousy in your tone there?" Temperance teased.

"No, more like a hint of concern. I don't trust him, Temperance."

"I share your opinion. He makes my hair stand on end. Don't worry, I won't go near him."

"Good. And Temperance, you're getting better at proverbs."

Suddenly the dressing gowns were slid aside. A dark-haired head appeared. "Sweetie, why are you hiding behind these things? Ooh, you're still on the phone. With our sexy stud muffin I hope?" Temperance gave her an affirming nod. "Right, time to hang up, honey. I know our surroundings are encouraging but you can have phone sex another time." She grabbed the phone out of Brennan's hand. "Booth, I assume you heard everything I said … What? Brennan not into that kind of thing? You'd be surprised … No, of course I'm not going to elaborate. You'll have to find out yourself … No, bribing won't do the trick this time … Booth, I'm going to hang up now. You can call her back later … Booth … Booth … Bye, Booth!" Angela decisively said, pressing the red little phone icon.

Temperance stared at her. _Did she just do what I think she did?_ Angela handed her mobile phone back with a smile. She crawled out of the dressing gown rack and continued her search for the perfect negligee like nothing happened. Brennan put her phone away and went over to Angela. She opened her mouth to give Angela a pointy remark about interrupting people's phone calls but decided differently. _It would be a waste of time to lecture Angela on proper behaviour. She always does her own thing, whether it's proper or not._ Instead she took a closer look at the see-through pieces of clothing. _Maybe they _are_ sexy after all. Don't people often say that it is sexier to wear something small then to wear nothing at all?_ She rummaged through the pile for a minute but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't visualize herself wearing one of those flimsy things. She left the negligees for what they were and turned around to examine a rack filled with bra's and panties. Next to it, hanging on the wall, was life-size picture of a model wearing a set of black lacy underwear. Her face broke into a smile. _Maybe it's time to get rid of my cotton panties._

---°---

"Bren, sweetie, calm down!"

"I will _not_ calm down!"

Temperance unlocked her front door and violently pushed it open, making it slam against the wall. She stormed inside and dropped her shopping bags on the couch, all the while raging on about obtrusive women with the IQ of a peanut. Angela sighed, calmly following her inside. _You can't reason with her whenever she's like this._ She put her bags down as well and watched her friend pace around the apartment for a few minutes. Temperance had been this agitated ever since she had been ambushed by a group of women at the mall.

"I have to admit that they were annoying but that isn't a reason to behave like this. They read the article and had a couple of questions. They didn't know any better. I'm sure they didn't mean it that way."

"Oh, really? Well, that's just wonderful!" Temperance quipped. "The questions about Booth's appearance and about his … you know …"

"Experience." Angela helped. "Or did you mean endowment?" she couldn't help but add.

"Both." Temperance snapped. "I could handle those questions. I was okay with them asking if Booth was my inspiration for the FBI agent in my books. I even smiled politely when they asked me for his phone number. But when they implied that I was sacrificing my integrity for a fling to secure my position, now _that_ pissed me off!"

"I guess saying you opted for a quick shag to make sure you would remain the FBI's only bones expert in D.C. _was_ a bit low." Angela mumbled.

"I'm a Forensic Anthropologist. How could they suggest that I use my body rather than my brain? And how did they dare to classify my relationship with Seeley as something cheap?"

Right then her mobile phone went off again. After a quick glance at the caller ID she flipped it open.

"What is it this time, Booth?" she snapped.

"Woa, easy, Bones. What's got you all …"

"Hot and bothered?" Temperance said, finishing his sentence.

The fact that she knew what he was about to say, made him speechless for a moment. Knowing what was on someone's mind plus using a proverb correctly was so un-Brennan-like that he had to take a deep breath before answering. "Tempe, what's the matter?"

"You don't know?" The silence at the other side of the line told her Booth was absolutely oblivious of the recently published article.

"No, I have no idea of what's going on." he finally managed to say.

"Then I suggest you buy _Gossip Weekly_." She flipped her phone shut after having said that, effectively ending the conversation as well.

Angela shook her head and gave her friend a pointed stare. "He didn't deserve that, Bren."

Temperance stared right back before collapsing on the couch. "I still can't believe that we're in _Gossip Weekly_. If I only I had known that he was a journalist!" She tiredly rubbed her eyes. "You're right, Angela. I shouldn't have acted the way I did towards Booth. He probably doesn't even know about the article." She grabbed her phone to dial Booth's number. "I'm going to call him back to apologize."

The artist quickly snatched the phone out of her hands. "No, you're not."

"Why not?" Temperance asked incredulous.

"Because …" Angela retorted, a Cheshire grin creeping onto her face. "Make up sex is the best."

---°---

Temperance placed the empty bottle on the coffee table and reclined in the couch. This was the second bottle of wine they had emptied in the last hour. She wasn't a person who got easily drunk but now her head started to spin slightly. Her phone started to vibrate. It was Booth again. He had been calling every five minutes since she had hung up on him. _No doubt to ask what Gossip Weekly had to do with her irritated mood._ She glanced at Angela who was calmly sipping her glass of red wine. Temperance sighed and pushed her phone under a pillow. No matter how much she wanted to talk to Booth, she was a scientist in spite of everything. She wanted to examine the possibility of make up sex being better than regular sex. Of course she had had make up sex before, just not with Booth. And because Booth satisfied her more then any of her other ex-lovers, she couldn't help but wonder if making love to him after an argument would have her pass out of ecstasy. She blinked a couple of times. _Having sex, me and Seeley have sex. We do _not_ make love._ She gulped down the last bit of wine in her glass. _Making love would mean we love each other and that's not the case here. We're two human beings who respond to sexual urges ... But he does care about me. Or is it more then just caring?_ She put her hand against her head to steady it. It felt so light and chaotic. She couldn't stop the thoughts from swirling around. _I definitely had too much wine._

"I think we've had enough wine to skip to the embarrassing questions, don't you think?" Angela said. She eyed her friend who was staring numbly at her. "What? No protesting?"

"I'm not objecting because I have a few questions myself. For starters, when did you and Hodgins started dating?"

"About the same time you and Booth _finally_ got together. We had this _really_ romantic date yesterday evening. I never could've imagined me going out with Jack but Tempe, he's just amazing! The way he kisses …" the artist rambled on. Temperance let her words wash over her. After ten minutes Angela finally stopped describing every single detail of their dates and how they had made out at her front door every night. Angela downed her glass before grinning mischievously at Brennan. "You never answered my last question." Temperance furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "What's his secret? Why is he a 12?"

Temperance snickered. "I think I need more wine before I'm going to answer that."

"Oh come on sweetie, there must be something he does that rocks your world. Is it the size of his … foot?"

"Ange! Size doesn't matter."

Angela smirked. "Right, you say that because he hasn't got one the size of a crayon." She drew her bare feet onto the couch. "What makes him so special? Can he bend like a pretzel?" She received a quizzical look as an answer. "Does he know the Kama Sutra by heart?" Temperance stared at Angela. But she quickly dropped her gaze as she finally understood what Angela was steering at.

"Ange!"

"There has to be a reason why you gave him a 12."

"It's a 13 now." Temperance mumbled.

The artist squealed. "You've just proven my point. Booth rocks your world. I have seen you before after you had sex and I can assure you that you now actually look satisfied. So I ask you again, what's his secret?"

"I honestly don't know." Temperance sighed. "It's true that I enjoyed sex before, the men I was with knew how to please me but not really _satisfy_ me. And Seeley …" She let out a large puff of breath.

"He knows how to push your buttons, the right buttons." Angela finished.

"Yes, something like that. He knows what I want and doesn't hesitate to give it to me. He really knows, like you stated, how to push my buttons."

"You _do_ know what that means, right? You and Booth are on a whole different level!"

"Angela, you've lost me there. I didn't know there were levels of sex appreciation?"

"Just answer me truthfully. What you and Booth do, is it something that you could be doing for the rest of your life, without tiring of it?"

Temperance slowly nodded her head, all the while pondering what Angela's question had to do with levels of sex appreciation. Then realisation hit home. _I don't want anyone else in my bed. Never. No-one except Seeley._ A deep crimson blush decorated her cheeks as she got up and grabbed the two empty wine bottles.

"Do you want some more wine?" she asked before hastily disappearing into the kitchen.

"Hey sweetie, has our favourite FBI agent got a thing for lacy panties?"

Temperance returned to the living room, still wearing her crimson blush. She opened up the bottle she had brought along. "Uhm … If 'having a thing for' means that he likes those kind of panties then yes, he's got a thing for them."

Angela was grinning like a Cheshire cat again. With twinkling eyes she sipped her glass of wine. "Now I know why you bought a life long supply of lace panties." she said, waving at the numerous bags from the lingerie shop which Temperance had chucked on the couch upon entering the apartment. If it was humanly possible, Temperance felt her cheeks heat up even more. _Damn it, she discovered my secret._


	15. Week 2: Sunday

Author's note: I warned you. I've got a lot of free time on my hands now due to holidays so that means more updates. :-) As always I'd like to ask you to point out the bits you liked and the bits that need improvement. A writer can always evolve. And just in case you didn't notice, I've changed the summary _again_. I think it now points out what my story is about without giving away too much information. °lol° Writing summaries is more difficult than writing stories! One final thing I'd like to point out is that we're halfway through the story. :-) Two more weeks to go …

For my reviewers: I've already sent you guys (or should I say girls?) a thank you note but I'd like to thank you again. _Amasayda, mendenbar, EternalConfusion, awesomenessinspired, Howdylynn, I hart Booth, Mh9wgo0, krisnina77, Egyptianautumn, Bellabun _and _Halfpastdead001_, thanks!

Disclaimer: I'm not even going to bother to write something decent here. I think I've already disclaimed _Bones_ about 13 times. It should be pretty obvious by now that I don't own the characters, just this fluffy plot.

**- Week 2: Sunday -  
--------------------------------------**

The after effects of too much red wine soon faded away after Temperance had taken a shower and had eaten some breakfast. And, of course, after she had taken a couple of aspirins. She set up her laptop on her kitchen table, intending on getting some writing done. If she wasn't allowed to go to work - Angela had made her promise not to show up at the lab, if she did the artist would lock her up in her office - then she might as well write a couple of chapters. She was soon caught up in the fictional world of her book. An hour later she was still so focussed that she barely registered the knocking on her door. Frowning she tore her eyes away from the computer screen. Who could be knocking at her door at 11 am on a Sunday morning? It couldn't be Booth; he had said he'd call first.

Temperance got up and went to the door. She looked through the peephole to see who it was. The hallway was empty. She shrugged and went back to her computer. Two minutes later there was another knock on her door. With a sigh she rose to her feet and went to check the peephole again. There was no-one out there. Was her mind playing tricks on her or had there really been someone at her door? _There's only one way to find out._ Carefully she opened the door, not sliding the chain off as Booth had once instructed her. She glanced at the side of the hallway she could see through the small opening. It was deserted. There was no-one or nothing to see. Her gaze travelled to the object lying at her feet. _Except for this thing here._ She slid the chain off and pulled the door further open.

Examining the other part of the hallway for the mysterious knocker, she knelt down to pick up the large white rectangular box which had a red ribbon wrapped around it. Her first thought was that it looked so cliché; it could've jumped right out of a bad B-movie. She went back inside, locking the door again and sliding the chain back on. She suspiciously turned the box around to check for anything out of the ordinary but soon concluded that it was a regular thirteen-in-a-dozen rectangular box made of carton. Without further ado Temperance removed the ribbon and took off the lid. Her eyebrows shot up. _Red roses? _In the box were lying 5 red roses, neatly tied together with another red ribbon. For a moment she wondered if Booth had sent her these but she rapidly dismissed the thought. His gifts were meaningful; he clearly put thought and effort into them. This gift seemed so cliché, like the sender didn't have any imagination. She was on her way to chuck the flowers away when she caught sight of a small card hidden between the roses. She fished it out from between the thorns.

**A rose for every day we've known each other.**

**- C -**

_C? As in Charlie?_ With a disgusted look she threw the flowers in the dustbin. _Stupid Zellar. Next time I see him, I'm going to tell him what I think of him and his stupid gift._

---°---

Temperance grunted. The blinking cursor on her computer screen was making fun of her again. For the past half hour she had been trying to write an amicable scene between the two main characters but all she managed to come up with was a passionate make out session in the anthropologist's office. She sat back and contemplated the ever-blinking cursor. She had always maintained that her characters were purely fictional; they weren't based on her collegues or on herself for that matter. But now she doubted her own statements. Why else would the idea of office sex have crept into her story? She rubbed her sore neck and grunted again. _Seeley Booth, you've screwed up my mind._

It was true. Ever since she had met Booth, she had been tempted to stop analyzing everything. With his charm smile he had lured her step by step into the colourful world of the living. And now she was stuck there. _Well, not really stuck. I like it here. Plus, I voluntarily left the world of the dead behind._ She sighed. There was no way she was going back to her old life. Booth and the wide range of emotions he made her feel had her in a headlock. And she was okay with that. It was nice to have someone to cuddle up with late at night. It was nice to know someone cared about her and would have her back no matter what. But most of all, it was nice to have someone she could trust. Almost everyone she had come across, had run away the second she started to open up. It was like they were scared of what she kept hidden behind her walls. But not Booth. No, he had made it his personal mission to tear down her defences and expose her to the world. Completely ignoring her protests he had dragged her out of the lab to teach her the finer points of living. _Thanks to him I've realized that a human being needs more than knowledge and a successful career. _She crossed her arms before chest. Although she cherised what she and Booth had, she couldn't shake the thought that their relationship could turn bad. _What will become of our jobs then? We'll never be able to work together again. And I like working with Seeley. He lets me do my thing, even though he doesn't completely trust science._ This made her smile. When they started working together, she refused to rely on his so-called gut feeling and he refused to see the benefits of science. After a while things had changed. They had warmed up to each other. He no longer denied the facts she gave him and occasionally, she tried using her intuition.

It had been difficult to combine her scientific nature with the insights her "sixth sense" - as Booth liked to call it - gave her. But she had managed. She now even enjoyed the whole process of reconstructing a possible murder scenario. It was nice to let her gut feeling do the talking from time to time. It was that precise feeling that had driven her to call Booth in the middle of the night more than a week ago. She didn't regret to have given in to her heart. She felt more in touch with life and herself now. She felt … complete? Was that the word she was looking for?

The downside of the whole being-in-touch-with-herself thing was that she wasn't able to completely forget her own personality and dive into her story. She had noticed that she had gradually started adding pieces of her own life into her book. Take the fictional office make out session for example. Before things got more personal with Booth, she would have never dreamed of letting her main characters become romantically involved. And now she had trouble ignoring that possibility. The complicated relationship of her characters reminded her of her own relationship with a certain FBI agent. She let out a deep breath. Before Booth she hadn't imagined ever wanting to make out, let alone make love, in her office. _It would be unhygienic, not to mention unprofessional … and it would probably be the greatest thrill of my life._ She massaged her temples. _Great, just what I needed. Another battle between my emotions and my inner scientist._

Suddenly the sound of loud knocking on the front door floated into the living room. Temperance immediately got up and went to check the peephole. Again there was no-one to be seen. She unlocked the door and opened it a bit. The hallway was empty, like half an hour ago. _For a spineless jerk he sure is fast._ There was another package lying at her feet, screaming for attention. She turned it onto its side to pull it through the door. Somehow she suspected Zellar to jump out from around the corner of the door if she dared to slide the chain off, and she really wasn't in the mood for a fight. Making sure the door was locked behind her again, she returned to her living room. With her eyebrows knitted together in concentration she studied the red heart shaped box in her hands. _Another unimaginative gift. I bet it contains chocolates._ She pulled the cover off. _Just what I expected … chocolates …_heart shaped _chocolates to be more precise._ There was a note lying on top of the heart shaped candy. Temperance picked it up to read it, rolling her eyes at the sugary words.

**These are almost as sweet as you are.**

**- C -**

_This note is even worse than the previous one. Where on earth does he get his inspiration from? Valentine cards? High school poems?_ she thought as she dropped the box into the dustbin, on top of the roses. She absentmindedly bit her bottom lip. Zellar's stupid gifts made her long for Booth's thoughtful attention. _At least he knows what I really want._

---°---

For the third time that day someone knocked on her door.

"Not again …" Temperance sighed, massaging her temples.

She got up and crossed the room to look through the peephole. "Oh for the love of …" she muttered, not noticing that she was using a typical Angela-expression, as she was too busy controlling her temper. This time the hallway wasn't empty; the gift sender - Agent Charlie Zellar - was standing at her door, smoothing down his hair and dusting off imaginary dirt from his clothes. Temperance closed her eyes and let her forehead momentarily rest against the door. _Figures he shows up here when Booth's gone._ Her hand went to the chain. _I have to deal with him someday; it might as well be today._ After sliding the chain off and curtly turning the key she opened the door a bit, just enough to let him see her entirely but not her apartment.

"Zellar." she said coldly.

"Tempe." he answered, sending her a charm smile.

_An almost perfect copy of Booth's smile._ she wryly noted. Anger flared up in her eyes when she heard him use her first name. "What are you doing here?"

"Can't I visit my favourite forensic anthropologist?"

"I'm not _your_ anthropologist. And _don't_ touch me." She held up a hand to block his hand that was reaching for her cheek.

Zellar put his hand against the door frame instead. He sent her a smile as he leaned in. "Did you like the presents?"

"No." she answered dryly. "They lacked imagination." She saw his mouth fell open. "And while we're at it, I'll be even more honest with you. I don't want anymore gifts from you."

"Why not?" he cut in, taken aback by her words.

"I'd like you to leave, Agent Zellar."

"No, I want to know why."

"Just leave, Agent Zellar." Temperance replied and started closing the door.

Zellar violently pushed the door back open, causing Temperance to stumble backwards. "Why?" he shouted.

Temperance sent him a death glare as she recomposed herself. "Because I don't want you. I'm with Booth, _all the way_. Now get out of here, Zellar."

Ignoring her last words, he began pacing around. "What the hell does Booth have that I don't have?" He stopped to give Temperance an intense stare. "What's so great about him? He's an ex-sniper and a degenerate gambler. He was stupid enough to knock up a girl, who refused to marry him so that makes his son a bastard kid."

"Don't talk about Parker like that." Temperance snapped.

"Honestly, I don't get what's so fantastic about Booth." Zellar continued unfazed. "What superb thing has he done to deserve you?"

"For starters, he possesses common sense. He doesn't go around imitating people."

"I do _not_ imitate him!" Zellar growled.

"Oh please, who are you trying to fool here? The smile, the attitude, the haircut and now the hair colour." Temperance answered, waving at the recently dyed hair of the FBI agent. "Brown really isn't your colour, Zellar."

He narrowed his eyes. Temperance put her hands on her hips and gave him a defiant look. "Get out, _now_."

All of a sudden Zellar jumped forward and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Do you have any idea how many favours I had to call in to be present at that crime scene? I pulled every string I could just to see you."

"You're sick." Temperance stated.

"The moment I saw your picture I knew you were meant to be mine. I could almost smell and taste you."

"You're sick, Zellar. You need help." Temperance tried again. She felt him tighten the grip around her arms.

"And then _he_, Seeley Booth - the Amazing Agent" Zellar threw his hands up in the air to underline his sarcastic words. "came along and got the job _I_ was supposed to do. I was crushed, Temperance. For several weeks I couldn't see straight because I was so pissed off. And when I finally got the chance to meet you in the flesh, I found out that the same bastard had already claimed you as his woman. Imagine my surprise, Temperance, _my anger_. You're meant to be with _me_!"

"That's enough, Zellar." She slapped his hands away. "Get out!"

Just as sudden as his temper has risen, it faded away. With a look full of longing he reached up to cup her cheek. "All I need is one chance to prove that I'm the right guy for you. One kiss, Temperance. Just one kiss."

"Touch me and you'll be sorry."

His eyes hardened again. He took a step forward, invading Temperance's personal space. "I'm going to kiss you, whether you like it or not."

Temperance blocked his reaching hand; Zellar roughly grabbed her wrist. She clenched her other fist and before Zellar knew it, she landed a hard right hook onto his left eye. Staggering back, he let go of her wrist and covered his eye. _That's going to be nasty tomorrow morning._ Temperance smugly thought. But her punch hadn't discouraged Zellar. With renewed vigour he jumped forward again. Temperance quickly reacted. With a kick in his stomach, she sent him flying backwards through the door opening. Zellar scrambled back onto his feet.

"Go away, Zellar." He approached her again. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. Leave now, before I break every bone in your body." Temperance threatened. The look in her eyes must've shown her determination to execute her threath because Zellar immediately turned around and stormed off after having thrown a menacing glare in her direction. Temperance closed the door with a satisfied smile. _Glad that's been taken care off. Maybe now I can get some writing done._

---°---

Later that day Temperance finally completed the chapter she had been working on the whole afternoon. Satisfied with what she had written, she saved the file and turned her laptop off. She had just gotten up to get something to drink when there was a sharp knock on her door. Her good mood immediately evaporated. _Apparently Zellar has a desire to visit the hospital._ She stormed to the front door, slid the chain off and yanked it open. Her face softened and she lowered her fists when she saw who the knocker was.

"Seeley …" she breathed.

Booth put his finger on her mouth to silence her. He carefully cupped her face. Temperance simply stared at him. _I thought he'd call first._ She stopped thinking the moment Booth dipped his head to capture her lips in a passionate kiss. She grabbed his shirt to steady herself. When he felt Temperance fully respond to him, he slightly pulled back.

"I missed you." he said in a raw voice.

He leaned back in to ravage her mouth once more. Temperance wrapped her arms around his neck and dragged him inside the apartment, kicking the door shut with her heal behind them.

---°---

They were lying in her bed - naked, satisfied and exhausted. Temperance snuggled up against Booth. He draped his arm around her hip and tenderly caressed her silk skin.

"Why didn't you call first?" she asked.

"I tried at least fifty times, you never picked up once. I figured I'd pay you a surprise visit instead." He pressed a kiss on her hair. "Why didn't you answer my calls?"

She smiled. "Angela said make up sex was better than regular sex. I wanted to explore that theory."

"And what are your findings?" Booth answered, a smile playing around his lips.

She turned her head to look at him. Her eyes were sparkling with mischief. "That she was absolutely right." This made Booth laugh out loud. He patted her hip.

"Glad to hear that."

Silence filled the room again. Temperance put her hand on his chest to feel his heart beat under her fingers. He absentmindedly ran his knuckles up and down her side. "I read the article yesterday." he announced. Temperance stiffened in his arms. "I wouldn't worry about it too much."

She shifted a bit to look him in the eye. "Why not? It could interfere with our work."

"Bones, has your status as a famous novelist ever impeded our investigations?"

"No, not really."

"Then this won't have any effect as well." Booth concluded.

She wetted her lips. "Your boss is the other problem."

"What's got Cullen to do with the article?"

"Thanks to Tim Saunders he now knows about us. We've broken one of the most important rules of the FBI, Booth. We've fraternized."

A low chuckle made his body vibrate. "No worries, Bones. Cullen's on our side. He's been in sort of the same situation with his wife. As long as we do our job properly, he will look the other way." He flipped her onto her back and got on top of her. "Besides the fraternization rule doesn't apply to you. Technically you aren't part of the FBI; I am. And since Cullen has given me his blessing …" He planted his mouth on hers for a light kiss, then travelled down her neck. He stretched her arms above her head and held them tightly in place as he licked every inch of skin he could get to. Temperance sharply sucked in her breath. Booth came up with a quizzical look on his face.

"My wrist." she whispered.

Booth released his grip to examine her arms. The creamy skin of her left wrist looked slightly bruised. He raised his eye brows. "What happened?"

She slowly lowered her hand to gain a bit of time. _Should I tell him?_ She glanced at his face. _Better not. He'd probably go after Zellar immediately._ Her hand sneaked around his neck. _There'll be plenty of time tomorrow to fill him in._ "My wrist received a blow when I tripped and fell against one of the kitchen counters."

He studied her face for a moment to judge if she was telling the truth or not. She played with the short hairs on the back of his neck, hoping he'd abandon the subject and continue his sweet torture. Finally he shrugged one shoulder and brought his mouth back down on her neck. Temperance squirmed underneath him; he was driving her crazy with his featherlike kisses. She wrapped her legs around his waist and rolled over. Sitting atop of him she leaned down to capture his mouth in a searing kiss. After a few minutes she had to come up for air.

"I missed you." Temperance panted.

"Thought you'd never say it." Booth retorted, grabbing her by the hips to show her once more how much he had exactly missed her.


	16. Week 3: Monday

Author's Note: I think we've established the fact that Zellar is a creep and yes, maybe even a psychopath. But he's the child of my imagination and I feel sorry for him. So I'm going to explain in this chapter why he's so obsessed with Brennan. In my opinion every psychopath has a reason to loose all sense of reality. I agree that some people are just born with a lust for killing, stalking, raping, and other horrible things but not Zellar. No, he's different. You'll see. :-)

For my reviewers: does a happy dance We've broken my record, people! 14 reviews, wicked! Thank you _krisnina77, Amasayda, didimil, Aurellia, canadianagurl, mightjustbe, jaed621, Egyptianautumn, EternalConfusion, Howdylynn, Halfpastdead001, I hart Booth _(I took your advice :-) ), _Bellabun _and_ Rena25_!

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones, we've already had that part plenty of times before. I don't own Within Temptation, nor their music. Although I strongly advice to listen to _What Have You Done_ whilst reading this chapter. Don't know why but the song just seemed to fit perfectly.

**- Week 3: Monday -  
-----------------------------------**

_Would you mind if I hurt you  
Understand that I need to  
Wish that I had other choices  
Than to harm the one I love  
_

Special Agent Charlie Zellar woke up at six o'clock because of shouting voices. _Great, the neighbours are having another fight._ He sat up and banged his fist against the wall behind him.

"Put a sock in it, will you? It's only six am. Some people want to sleep!" he yelled.

The noise continued for another minute before it finally ended with a loud slamming of a door. Zellar dropped his head back onto his pillow with a relieved sigh. _They're at it every morning. One of these days I'm marching over there and shove my badge down their throat. Threatening with a couple of nights in prison should do the trick. _He hadn't closed his eyes for two seconds when he suddenly turned onto his side and grabbed the glass of water off the nightstand. He desperately needed something to wash the foul taste of defeat away that was lingering in his mouth, as it had been every morning since he had met her in the flesh. Gulping down the water, he shoved aside shards of his dream that popped into his head. That night she had visited him again. He slammed the glass back down onto the nightstand. This particular morning the taste of defeat was different; it had a small hint of self-pity in it. He grimaced at the realisation and flopped back down onto the bed. He covered his eyes with his arm. Memories of the events of the day before flooded into his mind and made him grimace even more.

_What have you done, Charlie? You've attacked a defenceless woman._ Zellar moved his arm down so he could reach his left eye with his other hand. He gently pressed his fingers on the sore skin. The sudden rush of pain made him cringe. _Alright, maybe not exactly defenceless._ He laid his hands on his stomach. The way Brennan had defended herself had reminded him of … _No, don't even dare to say her name, even if it is in your thoughts!_ Zellar quickly rolled out of bed and got into the position to do some workouts. He knew that only exhaustion would clear away the unwanted memories.

_What have you done now  
_

At seven o'clock he stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. He wiped away the condensation on the mirror to take a good look at his face. The area around his left eye was swollen up and had a deep purple colour. _For a squint she sure has a hard right hook._ With a sigh he grabbed his razor and his shaving cream. Whilst applying the cream he pondered what he could do to cover the bruising. Otherwise his FBI colleagues would ask what had happened. He'd have to admit then that he had been hit by a squint. They'd make fun of him for weeks. Plus, he wanted to look decent when he had to face Booth. Because that he would have to do, no doubt there. _Come to think of it, Booth shows a lot of resemblance with Hank._ He nearly cut his cheek. _Don't think about Hank … or Laurie for that matter._

His eyes saddened as he applied his aftershave. _Laurie ..._ He couldn't deny that the whole situation with Brennan and Booth made him think of a similar event in the past. Sudden panic rushed through his body. He put his hands on the sides of the washbasin to support him. He closed his eyes and let his face hang downwards. _Breathe Charlie, breathe._ Thinking about Hank and Laurie always made him uncomfortable. The different emotions the memories evoked took him by the throat and cut off his oxygen supply - the whimpering sadness, the raging anger, the ever-consuming feeling of rejection … and most of all the gruesome pleasure. Zellar took a deep breath and looked up in the mirror again. _I did what I had to do. I made them pay._

He moved to his bedroom to retrieve his clothes. After having dressed, he went to the kitchen to prepare some breakfast. He stared ahead of him as he mechanically chewed his cornflakes. The kitchen around him faded away and turned into a large living room painted in warm colours. He heard his own voice introducing himself as Agent Zellar, the agent working on the case of Jenny Hastings, her murdered sister. He remembered how she had broken down into sobs and had let him comfort her. It had been the first step towards their wonderful - but short - relationship. Abruptly he rose to his feet and went to his bedroom, abandoning his bowl of cereal in the process. He opened his sock drawer and fished out a picture from between two pairs of plainly coloured socks.

Zellar sank to the floor with his back against the closet. He stared at the photograph he was holding. _Laurie …_ With a shaking finger he traced the gently curve of her chin. He let his finger caress her soft cheek and playfully tap her nose. Then he continued to her hair, her soft auburn hair. He could almost feel the silky strands tickle his skin. A dramatic sigh welled up in his chest. _Why did it have to be this way? We could've been great together._ He squeezed his eyes shut as he remembered their heated argument. They had said things that needn't to be said. They had profoundly wounded each other - she accidentally, he on purpose. But the outcome had made her the winner. She had run out of the house, slamming the door closed and leaving him behind as the loser.

_I know I'd better stop trying  
You know that there's no denying  
I won't show mercy on you now  
_

Around eight o'clock Charlie Zellar was driving towards FBI headquarters. A Starbucks appeared on the right side of the road. He decided to stop to get some coffee. Maybe that would rinse away the awful taste he still had in his mouth. Upon opening the car door, he caught sight of his black eye in his side mirror. _Damn, forgot the eye. Can't go in looking like that._ He leaned over to the passenger's side to grab his sunglasses from the glove compartment. The corners of his mouth curled upwards as he put them on and took a look at himself in the rear-view mirror. _That's better._

Her name was Tina, at least that's what her name tag read. For the past five minutes she had been throwing glances his way, occasionally combining them with a small smile. He adjusted his tie and took on a casual stance. When he admired her female curves and the sensual swaying of her loose hair, he got caught up in his thoughts once more. In his mind he heard Temperance coldly state how boring his gifts were. He gritted his teeth. Dr. Brennan was the personification of all the women, particularly one, who had once turned him down. Zellar put his hands in his pockets to hide his clenched fists. _How did she dare rejecting me! After everything I did for her. Damn it! I'm a good looking guy; I can easily find someone else who appreciates my attention._ He let his eyes roam over Tina's body. _For a coffee girl she sure looks nice._ The girl in question happened to look in his direction again that moment. He threw a lopsided grin her way. Blushing slightly she returned to handle the next customer's order. _I'll show Hank … no Booth who's the women's magnet here._

"Welcome to Starbucks. Can I have your order, please?"

"Hello … Tina?" He deliberately let his eyes travel down her chest to read her name tag. He tilted his head back up to catch her reddening cheeks.

"What will you have, sir?" she asked shyly.

Zellar leaned forwards on the counter, resting his weight on his crossed arms. He sent her a lazy smile. "Why don't you tell me what you've got, Tina." He watched her turn a bit and nervously point at the different brands of coffee. He couldn't help but grin broadly. _Charlie my man, you're still irresistible._

He wetted his lips. _Let's push things up a notch. _"I'll have a regular with extra sugar. I'm a sucker for everything sweet."

With amusement he watched Tina switch into flirting-mode. She looked him deep in the eyes as she slid his coffee over the counter. "Really? Then you should absolutely try this new diner across the street. They've got some delicious apple pie. It's a great place to take someone, like let's say your girlfriend, for lunch."

_Got her right where I want. This is just too easy._ He smiled at her, re-positioning his sunglasses. "If I had a girlfriend, I would certainly do that."

He saw her eyes lit up. Tina immediately went in for the "kill". She put her arms on the counter, imitating his stance. Locking eyes again with him, she drew small circles with her long finger nails on the counter top. "Maybe you and I could go there and have some apple pie? I'm free this Friday."

He sent her a charm smile before abruptly standing up straight. "Sorry, already got plans. Thanks for the free coffee!" he said, walking away and waving at a bedazzled Tina with his coffee cup.

_I know I should stop believing  
I know that there's no retrieving  
It's over now  
What have you done  
_

She looked like her. Unbelievable but true. He couldn't deny it. The auburn hair, blue eyes, her creamy skin, … He sipped his coffee. Dr. Temperance Brennan showed a remarkable similarity with his Laurie. He watched Brennan come out of the elevator, alone. He took a step backwards, partially hiding behind a file cabinet. He wanted to observe her from a distance. One of his colleagues walked past him, informing him that he looked weird wearing sun glasses inside. Zellar ignored him, he kept his stare focussed on Brennan instead. It were Brennan's looks that had appealed to him. When he had seen her photo on the back of her book, the resemblance between her and the woman he loved had struck him. He had taken it as a hint from fate that he got a second chance. He smiled wryly. _I vowed to not make the same mistake again. _He saw her heading towards Booth's office. _Guess I've failed again._

He sent his empty coffee cup flying into the nearest dustbin. _Where has it gone wrong? I asked her out. I danced with her. I gave her presents. What else can a man do to win over the heart of a lady?_ The moment Temperance closed the door of Booth's office behind her, Zellar came out of his hiding place and went to his desk. _Maybe I was too pushy._ He shook his head. Laurie had loved his attention. She had loved going out with him for a talk and a dance in the moonlight afterwards. A dreamy look filled his eyes. The memory of Laurie swaying with him to imaginary music in the middle of the deserted street, with moonlight spilling over her features, made him sigh in nostalgia. He often dreamt of her dancing with him like that. It was one of his favourite memories. Lately he had been dancing with Temperance because … well, she was just there. Unlike Laurie, who was no longer part of his life.

_And just like Laurie, she has turned down my gifts._ A choked noise left his throat and made the people within hearing range look up with questioning looks on their faces. Zellar ignored them and grabbed a pen to work on some files. As he jotted down a couple of sentences, he wryly concluded that no matter what everyone thought gift-giving wasn't good for a relationship. He had done it twice and both times it had backfired. The first time had cost him his relationship; the second time a black eye.

_What have you done now  
_

"Where are the suspects?" Temperance asked.

"They're being brought in as we speak." Booth grabbed the file from his desk. "Do you want to observe from behind the glass or go in with me?"

Temperance smiled at him. "You're not keeping me out of the interrogation room this time, Booth. I'm staying at your side."

"Fine." he sighed. "As long as you let me do most of the talking."

"I promise I'll keep my mouth shut."

"Good girl." he smiled, opening the door for them. He let her walk through first. Side by side they walked down the hall towards the interrogation room where a slender girl with long blond hair was being led in at that moment.

"Admit it, Booth. You like having me around in that room."

He put his hand on her arm to prevent her from going through the door. "Now why would I like that, Bones?" Booth asked, sending her the small version of his trademark charm smile.

Temperance put her hands in the pockets of her trousers. A smile played around her lips. With gleaming eyes she studied his face for a moment before finally saying "Because you like putting your alpha male tendencies on display." She leaned a bit closer and whispered "You like impressing me." Having said that she shook his hand off and entered the interrogation room, leaving a chuckling Booth behind.

"You bet I like doing that." he murmured, following her trail.

_I - I've been waiting for someone like you  
But now you are slipping away  
What have you done now  
Why - Why does fate make us suffer  
There's a curse between us  
Between me and you  
_

Zellar splashed some water onto his face. He looked at his reflection in the mirror. _I can't believe I dyed my hair._ He raked his hands through the dark brown locks of hair. At the time it had seemed like a logical thing to do. Dyeing his hair would bring him closer to Laurie … _no Temperance. Not Laurie, Temperance._ Hank had had dark hair, as did Booth. In his opinion dark haired men had more success with women. They always succeeded in whisking away the women he loved. He closed his eyes and drew in deep breaths in an attempt to regain his calm. Memories flooded through his mind, whirling around like a swirling river, nearly drowning him. He clutched the sides of the sink. _Not here. Not now._ Zellar panicked. Up till now he had managed to suppress the memories when he was at the office. But now they were raging through him, destroying every rational and balanced thought he possessed. He drew in a sharp breath. _I can't stop it. Why can't I stop them?_

**--° Flashback °--**

"I'm leaving you."

He dropped the white rectangular box with roses onto the ground. "What? Why?"

"Because …" Laurie trailed off, throwing a couple of shirts into the open suitcase lying on the bed.

"Didn't you like our time together? Didn't you like the places I took you to? Or didn't you like the way we made love afterwards?"

"It's not that." she sighed.

"Then it must be the presents." Zellar concluded. "Laurie, if you don't like the things I give you then all you had to do was say so. It's ridiculous that you're leaving me because of a couple of gifts!"

"That's not it either." She collected the rest of her clothes from the closet.

"Oh, so you liked the presents after all?"

"Charlie! It's not because of the god damned presents that I'm going! Yes, I'll admit that the presents lacked imagination but that never bothered me. I'm not leaving you because of a couple of stupid gifts!"

"Then why are you packing your suitcase?" he shouted back.

Laurie sighed again. She stopped packing her things to face Zellar. "There's someone else."

**--° End flashback °--**

He splashed some more water onto his face. An image of Laurie running out of his house, shouting that if he used his FBI connections to track her down, she would cripple him for life. He shuddered. He hadn't listened. He had used every resource he had to find her and the bastard that had conquered her heart. His search had been successful. He had tracked them down in less than three days. _Who could've known things would turn out the way they did._ he mused. Guilt washed over him. _My fault. All my fault._

_What have you done  
What have you done now  
What have you done  
What have you done now  
_

Booth and Brennan let another agent take Sarah McGhee away. Booth sighed and tiredly rubbed his face. Temperance reclined in her uncomfortable chair and crossed her arms. She absentmindedly bit her bottom lip as she replayed the interrogation in her mind.

"I think she did it." Booth said.

Temperance looked up at him. "I've studied her posture. She's able of conflicting the multiple stabbing wounds we found but she couldn't possibly chop off his head. Even in extreme situations, for example murdering Mario Brown, she would lack the strength."

"Damn it." Booth muttered.

"Who's next to be brought in?" she asked.

"Anne Leary. Mario Brown's other girlfriend."

"He had two girlfriends?"

"Yeah, apparently he did so. And get this, they lived two blocks away from each other."

"When he rolled out of the bed of one girl, he rolled right into the bed of the other." Temperance mumbled.

"Yeah, sounds like one hell of a motive, don't you think?"

"Should one of them be the killer, then I would certainly understand her motive, from a rational point of view." Booth raised his eyebrows at her statement. "If I ever found out you were sleeping with another woman while being in a relationship with me, I'd probably feel the urge to slap her around the place as well. And do the same to you."

He patted her hand. "Then I'm lucky I'm such a loyal guy. Wouldn't want to risk a royal ass-whooping." He chuckled at the typical I-don't-know-what-that-means expression on her face. "You can mull over that while I'm getting us some coffee."

_Would you mind if I killed you  
Would you mind if I tried to  
'Cause you have turned into my worst enemy  
You carry hate that I feel  
It's over now  
What have you done  
_

Booth exited the interrogation room and immediately stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Zellar leaving the toilets a bit further down the hall. _When did he dye his hair? And why is he holding a pair of sunglasses?_ When Zellar got a bit closer, he noticed his swollen eye. He threw a quick glance over his shoulder at the door of the interrogation room where his partner was waiting for him to return. He turned his gaze back to Zellar. _Bones' wrist …Zellar's black eye …_ _Damn it, how could I have missed that?_

"Zellar, my office. Now!" Booth barked.

Zellar inwardly cringed. _Here we go …_ Booth closed the door behind them. He turned around and crossed his arms in such a way that it pronounced the broadness of his chest. As he sent Zellar a menacing glare, he straightened himself to his full length. The other agent tried to be as impressive as Booth but failed miserably as he was too busy collecting his thoughts.

"Let's cut to the chase here, Zellar. I know where you got the black eye."

Zellar crossed his arms too. "What are you implying here, Booth?"

Booth took a step forward. "I said let's cut the crap, Zellar." Another step forward. "I know my girl." He took one final step forward. He was standing so close to Zellar that their noses were almost touching. "You must've done something to piss her off, otherwise she wouldn't have punched you. I can only imagine what you did, considering your weak attempt at asking her out and impressing her." Booth poked his chest with his index finger. "And let's not forget the scene you caused at the FBI ball."

Zellar narrowed his eyes. Was it just his imagination or was Booth's face slowly changing to Hank's face? This scene seemed just too familiar. Two years ago, he had been facing a dark haired man just like he was doing now, only not in an office but on an empty parking lot. He blinked a couple of times. _Charlie, stop it. Now is not the time for painful memories._ "What do you want, Booth?" he managed to say.

"I want you to stay away from her. She doesn't want you, in case you haven't noticed. She's with me."

The cold words made him flinch. He couldn't help but being transported back to the past. Zellar's hands flew to his hair and he let go of a tormented grunt. _No no no! Not again!_

**--° Flashback °--**

"Just face it, Charlie. She doesn't want you anymore. Laurie's with me now."

Zellar groaned. "You don't know what Laurie wants, Hank. I've been with her for nearly eight months. I know her better than anyone else."

"If you know her so well, why don't you explain to me why she has left you and is now sitting in my car?" Hank answered back jeering.

Before Hank could properly react, Zellar pushed him violently against the car. "You sick son of a … You know Laurie was my girl. We were perfectly happy until you decided to put your charm spell on her."

"She was unhappy long before I came along! She hated being with you, Charlie." Hank spat.

"Liar!" Zellar took hold of Hank's collar and slammed the man once again against the car. He raised his fist. "Liar!" he shouted again.

**--° End flashback °--**

"Liar!" Zellar shouted. "She loves me!" Completely blinded by anger and his memories, he balled his fists and prepared to hit Booth. Unfortunately for him the other agent had foreseen this and quickly grabbed his raised fist. "Liar!" Before Booth could control himself, he punched Zellar's right eye hard which sent Zellar staggering backwards.

_What have you done now  
_

"Get a grip on yourself, Zellar." Booth barked.

His actions and words seemed to wake up Zellar. With a confused look on his face he stared at Booth. "Booth? You're not Hank?" He reached up to touch the skin around his right eye which started to swell already. "You're not Hank." he repeated. Zellar sank down in one of the chairs at Booth's desk. He hid his face in his hands. _What have I done? What is happening to me?_

Booth went over to where Zellar was sitting. "For your own sake, you better tell me who Hank is." And Zellar told him. He filled Booth in on every single detail of the events of two years ago that still haunted him.

_I - I've been waiting for someone like you  
But now you are slipping away  
What have you done now  
Why - Why does fate make us suffer  
There's a curse between us  
Between me and you  
_

Temperance was playing with her pen when Booth entered the interrogation room. He sat down beside her.

"Finally." she breathed. "What took you so long? And where is the coffee you promised me?"

"Sorry, I forgot. I had to take care of something else first." He ignored the question marks that appeared in her eyes. "Let's bring in Anne Leary."

_What have you done  
What have you done now  
What have you done  
What have you done now  
_

"What do you think, Bones? Do we have our killer?"

"She certainly looks like she possesses enough strength to chop off someone's head."

Booth sighed. "Why do I feel like there's a 'but' to your explanation?"

"Because there is. Although Anne Leary is perfectly capable of chopping one's head off, she is too tall to have inflicted the stabbing wounds we found. Sarah McGee, on the other hand, perfectly matches the killer's profile we composed if we only take the stabbing wounds in account. She only lacks the muscle power to decapitate someone."

They stared at each other for a moment before Booth opened his mouth to speak. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" He received a confirming nod from Temperance. "They worked together."

_I will not fall  
Won't let it go  
We will be free  
When it ends  
_

Temperance and Booth exited the empty interrogation room to inform the two suspects that they were being arrested for the murder on Mario Brown. They were met by the sight of agent Zellar being escorted to the elevator by two broad-shouldered agents and Cullen. Temperance noticed the two black eye's of the agent. _I punched his left eye. Who's responsible for the other one?_ She glanced at her partner's face. Booth was staring intently at his colleague being taken away. Unconsciously she rubbed the faint bruising on her wrist. _He said he needed to do something. Did he … _Her mind quickly did the math.

"You hit him."

"You lied to me." he retorted.

Her eyes widened. _Damn it, he found out._ She nervously bit her bottom lip. "Yes, I did." Hearing her admit she lied made him rapidly settle his gaze onto her. She stared at him. "I shouldn't have but I did anyway." She took a deep breath. "Zellar came to my apartment yesterday. He attacked me; I fought back. That's how we both got hurt."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"You would've gone straight after him. I didn't want that since we were so comfortable …" Her words painted a pink blush on her cheeks. "Where are they taking him to?" she asked, abruptly changing the subject.

"Let's say we won't be seeing a lot of him in the future." Temperance shot him a questioning look. "I took him off the case, Bones. He has a lot of mental problems. They're bringing him to a place where he'll be able to deal with the demons that are haunting him."

"What demons?" she asked.

_I - I've been waiting for someone like you  
But now you are slipping away  
What have you done now  
Why - Why does fate make us suffer  
There's a curse between us  
Between me and you_

"Two years ago his girlfriend Laurie left him for someone else. He tracked them down to see who she had left him for. When he saw the guy, something snapped inside of him. They got into a fight. At some point Zellar pulled out his gun. He threatened to shoot him if he wasn't gone within the next two minutes. He demanded that they'd move immediately to another state. If they didn't, he would use everything within his power to make their lives miserable. Zellar wanted to make sure he never saw them again."

Temperance frowned. "I don't see why that would torment him so much?"

"He saw them drive away. The next morning he heard on the news that a car had driven off a bridge. Both passengers were dead. Apparently Hank and Laurie had gotten into a fight themselves. In the heat of the moment, Hank didn't see where he was driving. They crashed into the river before they realised they were no longer on the bridge." Booth paused for a moment. "Zellar was the last one to see them alive. He feels responsible for their death."

"Ridiculous. He hasn't pushed them off the bridge!"

"Guilt is a strange demon, Bones. It's hard to get rid of it." They watched the elevator doors close, making Zellar disappear from their view. "He feels guilty but also finds pleasure in their deaths. He believes they got what they deserved; he made them pay." Booth sighed. "He's got one twisted mind, Bones. I'm surprised nobody at the Bureau noticed."

"I don't understand what his feeling of guilt has to do with me."

"Believe it or not but you reminded him of Laurie. He believed fate was giving him another chance. He lost it when you said you were with me. It felt like the past was repeating itself."

"That certainly explains why he acted like he owned me when we first met." Temperance mumbled.

Booth gazed at her for a moment. "I can understand his desperation. It would drive me mad too if …" He reached up to touch her cheek. "If you decided to leave me for someone else. I couldn't cope with that."

She smiled. "You shouldn't worry about things that aren't going to happen."

Booth returned her smile as he placed his hand on her lower back. "Come on, we've got two murderers to arrest."


	17. Week 3: Tuesday

Author's note: With Zellar out of the picture, let's move on to the next mess that needs to be cleaned up. I'm talking about our 'favourite' reporter and his 'wonderful' articles of course! No worries, there's some BB-goodness in this chapter. :-) And yes, the lace panties just keep on coming back. °lol° Don't know why I'm so obsessed with them ... Probably because I like Booth's reaction to them (although I created his reaction myself). hehe I've got such a dirty little mind. Mmmzz, one more thing I'd like te mention is that I tried to get the judicial vocabulary right. It's hard enough in Dutch, let alone in English!

For my reviewers: For some odd reason my computer wouldn't let me send personal replies to all the wonderful reviews I got for the last chapter. So I'm going to reply to them here. Anyone who didn't review (shame on you!) can skip to the disclaimer. :-) _squinter_, thank you! Was it the new summary that made you check out my story? _Amasayda_, you're everything but a bad person. You can mail me whenever you're able to. :-) I'm just glad you can find some spare time to read my freshly posted chapters! _I hart Booth_, thanks for another great review. I'm relieved that Booth was in character. I was also 'jonsin for some BB time' so there's some in this chapter. Hope you like it! _krisnina77_, thank you for reviewing. I'm happy that you thought Booth handled the situation well. To answer your question: yes, the women teamed up. Let's assume Booth and Brennan arrested them in the previous chapter. _Egyptianautumn_, glad I'm not the only one who felt sorry for Zellar. :-) _xSomeHeartsx_, wow you're making me blush there! It's always great to hear your story is unique and original. I hope you find this chapter of the same quality. _canadianagurl_, yeay you reviewed again! Thanks! Does that mean I have another loyal reviewer?? °grins° _Halfpastdead001_, thanks for reviewing. You bet there's more to this! I've still got about two weeks to go. :-) And last but not least, _Bellabun_, I don't know how you succeed at writing a raving review every time! I just _love_ 'm.

Disclaimer: _Bones_ is not mine, blah blah blah. You already know that.

**- Week 3: Tuesday -  
--------------------------------**

With another case solved, Dr. Temperance Brennan found herself examining another ancient skeleton at the Jeffersonian at half past eight on a Tuesday morning. That was until the rest of her team strolled in. The three scanned themselves onto the platform and came to a stop at the examination table she was working at. After having finished writing down her last observations, she lifted her gaze from the bones before her onto her colleagues. She quirked an eyebrow at their unusual and rather nervous behaviour. The glances flying from her to one another and the restless shuffling of their feet betrayed their discomfort. _I may not be a 'people reader' like Seeley but something is definitely bothering them._

"Well? Are you going to stand there all day or are you going to fill me in on whatever has got you guys so restless?"

"Sweetie, we've got something to tell you." Angela began.

"Not exactly tell you Dr. Brennan, more like show you." Hodgins continued, handing her a glossy magazine.

Temperance froze the moment she took a closer look at the cover of the magazine. _Gossip Weekly_ it read in bold yellow letters. Her blood went cold when she read one of the smaller headlines on the cover: "Dr. Temperance Brennan - Lace fetish?" She quickly flicked to the right page. She huffed in indignation when she saw that the magazine had dedicated an entire page to her supposed fetish for lace panties. _This can _not _be happening. They followed me on my shopping spree with Angela!_ Upon seeing who the author of the article was, she let out a frustrated growl.

"Tim Saunders. Why am I not surprised?" she spat. "Let's see what lies he's telling this time."

The small voice in her head corrected her immediately, saying that everything the reporter had written in his last article had been spot on. _Alright alright, so maybe he didn't exactly tell lies. But that doesn't justify him stalking me at the mall._ She shook her head and started reading the article. The more she read, the more trouble she had keeping herself together. She glanced up at her colleagues. They were looking at her like she was a bomb ready to explode. Temperance grimaced. _Maybe that is exactly what I'm going to do._

"Thanks for informing me, guys. I think I'll uhm … I'm in my office if you need me."

She hurried away, the magazine firmly tucked between her arm and her side. She sat down in her office chair and threw the magazine onto her desk. A frustrated sigh escaped her mouth as she glared at it. _I should've strangled him when I had the chance, damn it! Then none of this would have been published._ She grabbed the magazine and flipped back to the article. Temperance quickly scanned through it again. _Great, now everyone in DC knows what kind of underwear I bought last Saturday._

---°---

Seeley Booth exited the elevator on the sixth floor with a huge smile plastered on his face. Yesterday he had solved another murder case, Zellar - that obnoxious jerk - had turned out to completely off his head and had been put in a special program, which meant that he would leave Temperance alone, and to top it all he had spent yet another night at Tempe's. His grin grew even wider when he remembered Temperance's flushed face when he had discovered the huge pile of lace panties hidden in her underwear drawer.

It had been a pleasure to see her blush. Lately he found himself searching for situations that would bring that cute pink blush on her cheeks. It felt good to know that he was one of the few people who were able to make her feel embarrassed. It meant that he was getting closer to who she really was. He pushed to the door of his office open. _Only a few layers left to strip away._

Booth sat down behind his desk and grabbed the top file from a large heap of papers. _What can I do to break down her last walls?_ he silently pondered, working his way through the thick folder. _She's come a long way the last two weeks. She has opened up to me and the world. _He let out a deep sigh. _But still not enough. _With his head resting on one hand he contemplated his office door which was standing ajar. He had to find a way to get past her last defences before he did something stupid, like saying "I love you". Every time they made love, every morning when he woke up with her in his arms (or sometimes the other way around) or every time he watched her facial expression contort to one of sheer delight when she tasted one of his breakfast creations, he had to refrain himself from spilling those three words. It would scare her away. She wasn't ready to deal with them yet.

He frowned. He sensed that she knew he cared about her. And if she was aware that it was more than just caring, then she was certainly good at hiding it. She obviously cared about him; otherwise she wouldn't have let him stay at her place. She wouldn't have let him make her breakfast every morning. Dropping her off at the lab and picking her up in the evening would be out of the question. _She wouldn't have said she missed me, although that could've been her passion speaking._ Booth shook his head. Temperance Brennan cared about him, a lot. He had seen too many men to his taste pass through her bed to know she treated him differently, like she was planning on keeping him forever. He smiled. _I wouldn't mind that, not at all._

Finishing up the report lying before him, he continued musing about his partner. _Obviously she tries to remember what I like. I can't think of any other reason why she would've purchased all those panties_. A chuckle rose in his throat. That morning he had been searching for a clean pair of boxers. Temperance had absentmindedly pointed at her underwear drawer, saying she had washed them together with her clothes and had put them away with her own underwear. He had felt a tug at his heart upon hearing her say that. She had washed _their_ clothes together and _his_ underwear was lying right next to _hers_. It had seemed so intimitate and so ... natural to see their clothes tucked away together in a drawer.

A knock on the doorframe pulled him out of his reverie. He glanced up to see one of his colleagues standing in the door opening, holding something that looked a lot like a magazine.

"What's up, Max?" Booth asked.

He got a massive grin in return. "Some partner you've got, Booth. Now I get why you don't mind working with a squint."

Booth narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "What do you mean, Max?"

"I'm talking about this." Max held up a copy of _Gossip Weekly_. Booth's jaw nearly hit the floor before he let go of a violent curse. _Not Tim Saunders again!_

---°---

Her phone went off when she was reading the article for the third time. She checked the caller ID. _Seeley, I knew it._ Somehow she had expected his call. With a sigh she flipped her phone open.

"You read the article." she announced.

"Damn right I did!" Booth growled. "As did the entire office. I've had ten colleagues dropping by so far, each saying that they now _finally_ understand why I like being teamed up with you."

"They didn't understand before?"

He sighed. "Not really. Squints aren't really popular around here."

Momentarily forgetting her annoyance and why Booth was calling, Temperance softly laughed. "I remember a certain FBI agent who shared that opinion not so long ago."

Her playful teasing calmed him down. "Bones, we've talking about this before. People change, you know." he replied with a smile. He paused for a few seconds. "How come you're so calm? I thought you'd be stomping around the lab like King Kong."

"I stopped doing that ten minutes ago. I figured there was no need to throw a tantrum over a stupid article. And thank you for comparing me with a tall hairy gorilla. You make me feel really appreciated as a woman." she dryly added.

"You know who King Kong is? I'm surprised ... and impressed!"

"It was one of my brother's favourite movies."

"Right. And could you explain again _why _you aren't pacing up and down your office?" He was having a hard time understanding why Temperance dismissed the article as something stupid. The last time Tim Saunders had dared to publish an insulting article about her, she had nearly bitten his head off.

"Because _Seeley_, you're an FBI agent." Booth furrowed his eyebrows. _She's calling me Seeley. She needs something._ "You can arrest him for stalking me." A Cheshire grin who could rival with Angela's appeared on her face.

"I'd love to but he's got his bases covered. He clearly mentions that he got his information from a reliable source that 'accidentally' saw you exiting that lingerie shop. So technically he wasn't really stalking you; although I'm sure he was. No proof, no ground for a complaint let alone an arrest."

Temperance muttered a curse under her breath. "What about slander? He's dragging my name through the dirt."

"It's not really slander, Bones. He writes what he believes is true. There is such a thing called freedom of speech. I don't like it any more than you to be written about." Booth countered. "Especially when it concerns our relationship and what turns us on." he added muttering.

"So there's nothing we can do." she said. It wasn't a question, more like an acknowledgement.

"There's nothing _legal_ we can do." Booth smiled. "Nobody said I can't go alpha male on him."

"Then I suggest you do that. I'm getting tired of all my colleagues gawking at me through my office windows like I'm a nymphomaniac who gets off on one particular kind of underwear."

Booth chuckled. "I'll have a talk with him after work. Do you want me to pick you up or are you taking a cab home?"

"I'll ask Angela to drop me off."

"Great. I'll see you at home then. Bye, Bones."

Temperance flipped her phone shut to end the call. She stared at the device for a moment. _Did he just say home? Since when is my apartment home for Seeley and me?_ She shook her head. _Don't go there, Temperance. It was just a figure of speech, I'm sure of it. _She flung the copy of _Gossip Weekly_ into her waste-basket and grabbed her observation papers. She began working out her notes on her computer, all the while smiling at how nice it felt to call her partner Seeley and to know he considered her apartment as his home, even if it only was a figure of speech.

---°---

"Mister Tim Saunders?"

The blonde-haired journalist looked up to see a broad-shouldered man entering his office. He gritted his teeth. _Just what I needed, a visit from an annoyed boyfriend._

"Agent Booth, for what reason do you honour me with a visit?" Tim reclined in his chair, fiddling with his pencil. He sent the FBI agent a piercing glance to underline the sarcasm dripping from his words.

"With the last article you wrote, you should've seen me coming a mile away." Booth approached the desk. "Your fellow reporters tried to convince me you weren't present. Nice try to avoid me. Lucky for me that I have such a nice FBI badge. It really gets people talking."

Tim threw his pencil onto the desk and clasped his hands together under his chin. "What do you want, agent Booth?"

"I want you to stop writing about me and my partner."

"Why would I want to do that?" Tim snorted. "People like reading about you two and your 'special relationship'."

"I'm sure you can find someone else to write about. There are plenty of crazy celebrities out there who'd love to have an article about them in your magazine."

"Sorry but no can do, agent Booth. My readers like what I find out about the two of you. They find your relationship refreshing in comparison to all the stuff other celebrities invent to make it to the tabloids. And the best thing is that you've got absolutely no legal ground to sue me. I've got all my bases covered."

_Don't you think I know that?_ Booth grunted in his mind. "I'm asking you to leave us alone, Saunders. We don't like to be written about. It could compromise our work."

"Then you shouldn't work with a famous writer, pal."

_Pal? Are we starting that game again?_ "Listen _buddy_, her status as a renowned writer has never interfered with our work before. But it will unless you stop publishing sleazy pieces like this one. An entire article about what kind of underwear Dr. Brennan wears? That's just filthy, not to mention completely over the top."

Tim sent him a grin dripping with smugness. "It sells, agent Booth. Intimate details about someone's sex life always sell; especially when it involves such a foxy lady as your partner. You can't imagine how many men fantasize about having her. Tossing them a piece of information, like her having a thing for lace panties, fuels their interest for my articles. Call it customer-oriented journalism."

Booth put his hands on Tim's desk and leaned forward, his face hovering dangerously close to the reporter's face. _I would give a fortune to wipe that smug grin off his face._ Instead he resolved to glaring intensely at the journalist. "_Don't_ talk about my partner like that. What I really don't get is why you picked _us_. Were you pissed off that you didn't get enough attention at a book signing?"

Tim rose to his feet and planted his hands on the desk as well. He glared back at Booth. "I don't like your tone, agent Booth." he hissed through his teeth.

"And I don't like what you write about my partner." The two men glared at each other, neither of them wanting to back down. Booth lifted one hand to point at Tim's chest. "No more articles about us _and_ you'll apologize to her for what you've already published."

"Not in this lifetime." Saunders snapped.

"You'll do it, _buddy_. Or I personally see to it that you loose your status as a respected gossip reporter, whatever respectful there is about that."

The journalist scowled at Booth. "You wouldn't!"

"Just imagine what I could do, Tim. I'm an FBI agent after all. Every picture you take will never get published. Every story you write will be put on hold until someone else writes and prints it. I can have your phone tapped so I'd know about your stories the same time you do. And of course a phone call to other reporters is quickly made. You'd never have a scoop again."

The colour slowly drained from Tim's face. "You wouldn't …"

"I can make it happen, _pal._"

Tim backed away and fell down in his chair. He stared ahead of him for a few moments. _No doubt envisioning what I could do._ Booth thought. Then the journalist focussed his attention back on the FBI agent. "Alright, no more articles about Dr. Brennan." Booth sent him another menacing glare. Tim put his hands up to shush him. "_And_ I'll call her to apologize." Booth nodded and stood back up again.

"Glad we reached an agreement, Mister Saunders."

---°---

A sigh escaped him as he was fumbling with the keys in his hands. For the past five minutes he had been contemplating Temperance's front door. _Should I go in or not?_ He diverted his gaze from the door to the empty hall then back to the keys he was holding. Temperance had once given him a spare key in case something serious happened, like an emergency. He looked back up at the door. There wasn't an emergency. Maybe that was the reason why he felt so reluctant to open the door. He let the key chain dangle at his finger. _No, that's not it. It must be something else._ He loosened his tie. _Why can't I open that door? I have a key, damn it._ Another sigh escaped him. He began fumbling with the keys again while shuffling back and forth. Maybe he didn't want to use his spare key because he didn't know if Temperance was home.

He smiled to himself. _Now there's a thought._ It was only six pm; normally Temperance would still be at the office. He was reluctant to use his key because it felt like he was intruding her home. It was still _her_ apartment, not theirs. _I've never went in before without her. The other times I was here, she was there to open the door for me._ He shook his head. _I'm acting stupid. She said she'd see me tonight, right?_ He stopped his fumbling and decisively placed the key in the lock. _Look at it this way, Seeley. If she's not home yet, you can start dinner. _He chuckled at his own thoughts. _Let's not get too domestic, shall we?_

He was greeted by the sight of Temperance sitting on all fours, her cheek resting on the floor and her bum pointing up in the air. He gulped. _Talk about temptation …_

"Booth, stop staring at my ass."

His eyebrows shot up. "How did you know it was me?"

"There are only two people who have a key to my apartment, you and Angela. You came in too quietly to be Angela." Temperance explained.

He watched her reach under the couch. "What the hell are you doing, Bones?"

Letting out a deep puff of air, she drew back her arm and crawled around her coffee table to the other couch. "I'm searching for my lucky socks."

"You have lucky socks?" he asked flabbergasted.

Temperance stopped reaching under the couch for a moment to peek her head over the coffee table. "Yes Booth, I have. What's so strange about it?"

He chuckled. "I never thought you'd consider a pair of socks as a lucky charm. Since when do you believe an object can avert bad luck?"

"I don't. It's a silly superstition." Her voice sounded muffled because her head was once again on ground level. After having searched every square inch of space under the couch, she got back up to her feet. She put her hands on her hips and let her eyes travel around the living room. "Where could they be?" she mumbled.

"And the socks are special because ...?"

"I wore them on occasions I needed courage; they made me feel confident. And now they're gone!"

"Sounds like you're putting faith in a pair of socks. Isn't that exactly what someone does with a lucky charm?"

Temperance rolled her eyes. "Alright so maybe they're not my _lucky_ socks." she rapidly backed out. "They're just my favourite pair." Having said that, she stormed off towards the bedroom. Booth strolled after her, hands in his pockets. He leaned against the doorframe while watching Temperance getting down on her knees to look under her bed.

"Why are they your _favourite_ pair?" he asked, stressing the _favourite_-part.

"I wore them the day we solved our first case. I was wearing them when we were dancing in that country bar. And I wore them when I came to your apartment last week."

Booth had to fight a charm smile off his face. It didn't go unnoticed by him that every time Temperance wore the socks, and thus needed courage according to her, she was with him. Did she lack self-confidence whenever he was around? A large grin broke over his features. Dr. Temperance Brennan, his partner in so many ways, was nervous in his presence! _There's no doubt she's nervous because I'm getting closer. Maybe there are fewer layers left than I initially thought …_ But then his grin disappeared. _But what if she gets too nervous?_ He pensively chewed the inside of his cheek. There was only one thing Temperance would do when she got too nervous and that was running away as fast and far away as possible so she could build up her walls again. _Can't let that happen._ _We've already come so far._ His eyes followed the anthropologist as she stood up again and walked over to her closet. _That means not mentioning love for a while._ Booth let his gaze wander through the tastefully decorated bedroom, pausing on the warm rugs that lay beside the bed, the cosy looking bed itself, the modern nightstands with a couple of his and her items on them before finally settling onto the slender frame of the woman he loved. He sighed. It was going to be though to keep himself from spilling those three little words, especially when every cell in his body was screaming them whenever he saw her.

His breath caught in his throat. Maybe it wasn't going to be so though after all. Not when she was bending her body like that. With fascination he saw her reaching up to search for the socks on the top shelf. Her shirt rode up enough for him to get a good view on her creamy-skinned well-formed lower back. She shifted a bit to her left, allowing him to take a glance at her flat stomach. Thoughts of love were quickly replaced with the sudden urge to burry himself in her. He shrugged off his jacket, removed his tie and threw them on the bed while approaching her from behind. Somehow she must've sensed him coming up behind her because she turned around and planted her hands on her hips.

"Stop right there, Booth." He did as requested, sending her a questioning look. "Instead of gawking at me like a teenage boy, you'd better help me find my favourite pair of socks." She turned around and headed for the cupboard which contained her panties, bra's and socks. "I _have_ to find them." she murmured, feverishly pulling open the top drawer to rummage through it.

He grinned. U_nbelievable how worked up she gets because of a pair of socks._ He approached her again. "Do they happen to be red?"

Temperance pivoted around. "What?"

"Does your _favourite_ pair of socks happen to be red?" She nodded. "With a blue heel?" Another nod. "And blue toes?" A smile appeared on her face as she nodded for the third time. He was now close enough to put his hands on the hip-high cupboard, effectively trapping her between his arms. "They're at my apartment, Bones. You forgot them two Sundays ago." He saw relief pass over her face. Again he thought how unusual it was to see her so concerned over a piece of clothing, a pair of frigging socks for goodness sake! He brought his face close to hers. "Can I gawk at you like a teenage boy _now_?"

Temperance smiled and let her hands slide up his chest. She began unbuttoning his shirt. "You can do more than that." she softly said.

Booth was amazed at how rapidly the woman standing before him could switch from a sock-obsessed maniac to a hot blooded temptress. But who was he to debate with her need of release? Besides, having her physically would make his mind forget all the mushy thoughts he'd recently been thinking. He'd settle for something physical any day if it meant he had her at his side instead of far away, scared for whatever emotional thing he was offering her. With a grunt full of longing he bent down to attack her mouth. He pulled her close to his body, enjoying the feel of her breasts pressing against his chest. Temperance wrapped her arms around his neck and tilted her head to deepen the kiss. Soon their tongues were fighting yet another passionate battle, like they had done numerous times before.

He wiggled his hands up her shirt as he descended from her mouth to her neck. He knew how much she loved him kissing and licking the sensitive spot where you could feel her heart beating. Temperance gasped for air. Booth's tongue was doing wonderful things to her skin. She managed to slide his shirt off his shoulders so she could run her hands over his bare chest. She loved to feel his skin burn and his muscles ripple under her fingertips. Booth pulled her T-shirt over her head and resumed his passionate attack on her already blushing skin. Both their trousers soon joined their discarded shirts lying on the floor. His hands massaged their way from her bum to her hips and back again as he continued nibbling her skin. He let them slide just a bit lower, right under her bum. His mouth captured her lips when he suddenly lifted her up and placed her on the top of the cupboard. Temperance pulled back and looked at him with glassy eyes.

"Seeley, what are you doing? The bed is over there, about 2 yards away."

He pushed her legs open to stand between them. One of his hands sneaked around her waist as the other caressed her cheek. Before answering he let his nearly black eyes trail over her body. In his opinion, she was beautiful whatever clothes or jewellery she was wearing but she was drop dead gorgeous when she was naked, or almost naked like right now. "What's the matter, Temperance." he said in a hoarse voice. "Have you never done it this way?"

His hand disappeared in her hair to pull her head a bit backwards so he could easily ravage her mouth. He let his tongue explore her mouth-cavity as he pushed her lower body against his with the hand that was resting on her lower back. Temperance moaned in his mouth. More than three weeks ago she would've panicked at the sudden loss of control. But all she could do now was register how good it felt to have a throbbing Booth pressed firmly against her lower body. Between two waves of foreplay pleasure she realised it was because she completely trusted him. He would never do anything to hurt her. He only wanted to give her all the pleasure he was able to give. Right before her brain shut down completely she wrapped her legs securely around his hips to pull him even closer. Moaning again she raked her fingers through his short brown hair, giving it a ruffled look. She would take everything he was willing to give - absolutely everything.


	18. Week 3: Wednesday

Author's note: Right, this is a chapter filled with nothing but BB-sweetness. To put it differently, nothing serious happens in this part. I'm merely laying the foundations for the next chapter. But that doesn't take away the fact that it's one hell of a BB-chapter! hehe I'd like to mention that I don't know the first thing about children. I gave it a try …

For my reviewers: Alright, time to thank my reviewers again. I just _love_ doing that. A nice note from you guys keeps me writing! Lots and lots of thank you's to _Bellabun, Halfpastdead001, Amasayda, mendenbar, jaed621, NakedQuidditchFan, Egyptianautumn, squinter, I hart Booth, Howdylynn, xSomeHeartsx, canadianagurl, krisnina77 _and _Nearly Headless Nat._ NHN, I was just writing my author's notes when I got your review!

Disclaimer: My birthday is coming up. Maybe I'll get them as a present. Just imagine, a nicely wrapped up Booth with a red ribbon around his neck! hehe

**- Week 3: Wednesday -  
-------------------------------------------**

Temperance sat back in her office chair, a smile gracing her lips. She closed her eyes and let the silence of her office wash over her. Only faint sounds of the rest of her team working on the platform could be heard. She'd never admit it to anyone but she savoured moments like this, when she could kick back and relax for a short while. Angela was drawing the face of the Indian skeleton she had examined yesterday, Zach was working on another skeleton and Hodgins was doing his usual bug-and-slime stuff. Booth hadn't brought in a new case that morning so things weren't really hectic. She could afford to do nothing for a few moments.

Her mind wandered to her partner, like it always did. Only now she didn't feel guilty for thinking about him. Before they were 'an item', as Angela would put it, she never allowed him inside her head. And if he succeeded to enter anyway, she'd quickly focus on something else. Like Dr. Goodman dancing the Macarena. At least that didn't turn her on, like thoughts about a certain FBI agent did. But now she was free to think, feel and visualise whatever she whished. _Visualise? Where the hell did that come from?_ She opened her eyes and looked around her office. She came to a stop on her couch. _Oh right, that kind of visualising …_ She quirked her eyebrows at her own thoughts. _I spend too much time around Booth. He's rubbing off on me._

The strange thing was that she didn't mind being around him almost 24/7. If you looked at the past two weeks, you'd notice that they had spent nearly every waking, and sleeping, minute in each other's company. _Well, almost every minute … If you don't count the couple of days he was in California and the hours I was at the lab and he doing whatever he does when we don't have a case._ She intertwined her fingers and let her chin rest on them. Mathematically they weren't together 24/7 but it certainly felt like that. And she didn't mind, not at all. In fact, she enjoyed their time together. She hadn't had that feeling with the other men that had been in her life. They had only appealed to her for a short period of time. Every time she felt a spark and decided to chase it, she got disappointed.

But not with Booth. No, the spark she felt with him had soon evolved into a warm, rather large fire and was now racing towards an inferno. Everyone always said that fire was dangerous; you had to run as fast as possible when it was on your tail. But the only thing Temperance wanted to do, was run straight _into_ the fire because she whished to feel warm for once in her life. Booth could provide that warmth. He could drag her away from the cold world of science just long enough to make her experience some of the good things life had to offer. She slowly exhaled. That was exactly what Booth was trying to do. He was showing her that life didn't consist entirely out of bad events. All he asked in return was a bit of emotional intimacy.

Temperance cringed at the words. Right after she had had the first nightmare, she had uttered those words to Angela. _I'm afraid of emotions._ She snorted. _Scratch that. I'm not afraid of let's say … anger._ A memory of kicking Zellar's butt invaded her mind and made her smile. _Definitely not afraid of anger._ It were the more complicated emotions that scared the bits out of her, the kind of emotions you share with someone else. The type of deep feelings you only voice when you're absolutely certain the other isn't going to use them against you. Temperance let out the breath she didn't realise she had been holding. She hadn't been prepared for that train of thoughts. The moment the L-word came to mind, she shut down completely. All the people she had ever confessed her love to had left without saying another word. She couldn't let that happen to her and Booth. _Hold it right there, Temperance. Are you insinuating here that you love him?_ She wrinkled her forehead. _Love is such an abstract word. What is love? When do you love someone? Does someone love you when he bothers to remember what kind of coffee you like? Or what kind of flowers you think are beautiful? Or does someone love you when he notices the small things? Like a broken alarm clock?_

Her right hand picked up a pencil from her desk to fiddle with. If all those things were indicators of the love someone felt for another person, then Booth sure as hell loved her. She stopped fiddling immediately. _Booth loves me? Of course not, that's ridiculous! He simply cares about me. We have a fling, just a fling._ Temperance threw the pen onto her desk. They didn't have 'just a fling'. Every rational cell in her body was shouting that when Booth was with someone, he went for it. He wasn't the 'fling-type'. She, on the other hand, was capable of having such a relationship, just not with him. He wasn't a fling. Definitely not.

She risked everything by being with him - her focus on her job, their stable work relationship, not to mention her emotional health. He was getting closer to her core. If it were 'just a fling' she wouldn't be so worried about that. She was capable of shielding herself from meaningless relationships. Every guy she had ever dated hadn't been able to penetrate that shield. Booth was different; he had found a way to get past her well-built defences. He was now more than ever in her personal space.

That last thought made her mind jump back to the beginning of her internal dialogue. She enjoyed being close to him. She didn't mind him invading her personal space. But how far was she willing to let him go? Was she willing to give him the emotional intimacy he longed for? Did she want to let go of control once more and expose her feelings to someone, hoping he wouldn't crush her like a bug?

A loud noise startled her out of her deep thinking. It was her mobile phone. She checked the caller ID. _My editor?_

---°---

Booth was doing some paperwork when his phone started ringing. He flipped it open. "Booth."

"Hey, Seeley."

He immediately sat up straight. "Rebecca? Why are you calling me?"

"I need a favour. Could you look after Parker next Wednesday?"

"Yeah, sure. No problem."

"Great." Rebecca said, sounding very relieved. "I owe you one." She paused for a second. Booth could clearly hear a younger voice talking in the background. "I'll put Parker through now. He wants to ask you something." Booth nodded his head, even though Rebecca couldn't see him. "Oh and Seeley, be prepared. The second he heard he'd be spending next Wednesday with you, he kept going on about pretty bones. Thought I'd mention it, so you'd know."

_Pretty bones? _A large grin appeared on Booth's face. _Pretty Bones …_

"Daddy!" a very energetic four year old Parker yelled through the phone.

"Hey, bud!" he answered, still wearing his large grin.

---°---

After she got off the phone, Temperance couldn't stop smiling. Her editor had just phoned her to inform her that her book was ready to be published. Soon copies of her latest book would be available in every bookshop. _This needs to be celebrated!_ Temperance shook her head. She didn't understand why she wanted to celebrate the publishing of another book. The only time she had done that, had been with her first book. A sigh escaped her. _This is Seeley's fault. _Before she hadn't felt the ridiculous urge to throw a party over something as common as a book getting published. _Alright, so maybe it isn't something that is so common for most people._ _But still, no parties! No celebrating!_ She shrugged off any further thoughts and grabbed a nearby file.

But no sooner had she opened the folder, or the thoughts popped right back into her head. She grunted in frustration. She had dismissed the idea. There weren't any rational reasons why she wanted to celebrate, besides showing off her achievements. _And that's not even a rational scientific reason!_ she inwardly scoffed. Intending on getting some work done, she decided to give in to her impulses. Any normal human being would want to do something special so she'd play along and do 'something special'. Temperance absentmindedly tapped her pencil against her lips. What could a person do when he wanted to celebrate? Suddenly a large smile broke over her face. _I know just the thing to do to celebrate _and_ give Seeley a bit of emotional intimacy without risking too much of my own sanity._ Her smile transformed into a devilish grin. She'd do something that would knock Booth off his socks, and if she played her cards right, out of his trousers as well.

---°---

Just like yesterday, Booth found himself standing in front of her door at six pm. And just like yesterday, he was fumbling with the keys and debating whether to go in or not. Ultimately he forced himself to shove the key into the lock and open the door. Temperance hadn't minded him going in yesterday so why would she today? As he went in, he frowned and put his nose up in the air to sniff up the delicious odour that was hanging in the living room. _Is that food I smell?_

"Bones, I'm home." Booth said, taking off his jacket and draping it across the back of the couch. He winced at his choice of words. _You idiot! I thought we agreed not to get too domestic._ "Where are you?" he rapidly added.

If Temperance was offended by his words, she was good at hiding it because a cheery "I'm in the kitchen" floated in his direction. He made his way towards the kitchen, a puzzled look on his face. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Temperance standing behind the cooker, stirring in a cooking pot whilst keeping an eye on another cooking pot. The whole scene seemed so cosy - so intimate - so domestic that it made his gut contract. She looked so at home behind that cooker. It was now more difficult than ever to not run to her and announce he loved her. He bit his tongue to keep the words from spilling out. Instead he concentrated on the pleasant image of Temperance stirring in a cooking pot.

If someone had told him a month ago that Temperance Brennan would one day welcome him into her home and make him dinner, he would've laughed at them and told them they were out of their minds. She had never mentioned she could cook. He had always assumed she was one of those workaholic types who came home and ordered take-out, or heated up something in the microwave. He stared at her. _Is she really cooking?_ He couldn't wrap his mind around the idea of the tough no-nonsense scientist being skilled at something she'd probably consider as a typical job assigned to women by men.

"What are you doing, Bones?"

"What could I possibly be doing in a kitchen, Booth?" she retorted, keeping her back to him. She continued her stirring in the cooking pot. "I'm preparing dinner of course."

It was on the tip of his tongue to say that he wouldn't mind if she did that more often but he managed to hold back the words. She'd probably curse him for being an alpha male again. He moved towards her. "It sure smells good."

He planted himself behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her against him. He gave her a peck on the cheek. Temperance turned her head to look him in the eye. They smiled at each other before exchanging a more passionate kiss. Temperance put the cover on the cooking pot and turned around completely so she could wrap her arms around Booth's neck. The kiss was about to get more intense but the need of oxygen became too urgent. They broke apart, still wearing their smiles. Booth reached for the cooking pot. "What are you making?"

Temperance slapped away his hand. "You'll have to wait. It's a surprise."

Booth grinned at her and leaned in for another kiss. When he pulled his lips away from hers, he asked "You sure you don't want to tell me?"

"What are you? A grown-up FBI agent or a wining five year old?" Temperance teased. "Just wait and see."

"Fine." he breathed. "At least give me something to last on until dinner's ready." He dipped his head once again to capture her lips in a smouldering kiss. His index finger and thumb held her chin in place so he could deepen the kiss. Temperance opened her mouth to give his tongue access. Her fingers were playing with the buttons of his shirt. Booth's other hand was still wrapped around her waist. He pulled her closer to let her feel how easily she could turn him on. He didn't know how she did it but the moment he kissed her, he got lost in his own desire.

Temperance moaned in his mouth. She couldn't give in to their longing, even though she wanted nothing more than that. She had to pull away now if she whished to execute her plan. Reluctantly she let go of his shirt and dragged her lips away from his mouth. "No Seeley, I have to keep an eye on our dinner. Burned food doesn't taste so good."

"You're probably right." he said, taking a step back. "I'll go set the table."

Temperance nodded. "You do that."

As Booth was laying out the necessary plates, glasses and cutlery he announced that Rebecca and Parker had called him. Temperance spun around in surprise. "Really? What did they want?"

"Rebecca asked if I could look after Parker next Wednesday. I told her I'd take the day off." He sat down at the table. "Parker asked if we could go to the zoo."

"Sounds nice." Temperance mumbled, turning her attention back to the cooking pots.

"You know what else he asked?" Booth deliberately paused for a few seconds. "He asked if the pretty bone doctor could come with us."

She nearly dropped the wooden spoon she was holding. Slowly she turned around to face Booth. "He asked for me?"

"Yes, of course he asked for you. He doesn't know any other bone doctors, as far as I know." Booth answered smiling. "He adores you, Bones."

"But he has only seen me two or three times!"

"Apparently you put some kind of spell on him. Rebecca told me he brings you up every time my name is mentioned."

Temperance shook her head in disbelief. "I don't believe you, Booth."

"Just face it, Bones. You have a way with the Booth-men." He got a confused look in return. "Parker adores you. I adore you. The Booth-men are absolutely infatuated with you."

This earned him a shy smile. After one more minute of stirring, Temperance put down the wooden spoon and lifted the cooking pot from the stove. She put it down on the table and announced with a large smile playing around her lips that dinner was served.

---°---

"You cook really well." Booth said as he sat down on the couch in her living room.

Temperance sat down beside him and pulled her legs under her. She shifted until she was facing him, her arm resting on the back of the couch. "Thank you. I'm glad you liked it."

"Is there a particular reason why you decided to spoil me with a home-cooked meal?"

Temperance smiled. "My editor informed me today that my book will be in the shops next month. I thought I'd celebrate that with you."

He returned her smile. "That's excellent news, Tempe. Can't wait to read your new book." He reached out to stroke her cheek. "I feel honoured that you decided to celebrate that with me."

Temperance couldn't help but lean into his hand. She loved the slow stroking of his warm fingers on her skin. It soothed and turned her on at the same time. When Booth drew back his hand, she scooted a bit closer to him. With a small smile she crawled onto his lap and straddled his hips. She put her hands on the back of the couch and leaned in. "I'm not done celebrating." she whispered, taking in his handsome features with smouldering eyes.

Booth's breath caught in his throat. This was a whole new side of Temperance, one he hadn't seen yet. Of course he had hoped that something like this would one day happen, what man wouldn't? He felt the desire race through his veins when Temperance's hot breath caressed his face. With a small grunt he gripped her hips to make sure she couldn't get up and walk away. Not that Temperance intended to do such a thing.

"Are you going all alpha female on me now?" he growled.

Temperance gave him an intense stare. "Shut up and kiss me."


	19. Week 3: Thursday

Author's note: Like I said the previous chapter was the set up for this one. One warning, it's a quite pensive chapter but for the sake of the story, it needs to be written. Otherwise I can't continue with the fluff and we _all_ love fluff, don't we? hehe By the way, how come I didn't get any email alerts for the last chapter?

Athor's note 2: OMG I just saw a clip of Booth's socks … °falls off her chair° I've got exactly the same pair, no kidding!

For my reviewers: _bb-4ever, Bellabun, EternalConfusion, canadianagurl, acsmith, I hart Booth, krisnina77 _and _From me to you_ ... thank you :-) You can't possibly imagine how happy all those reviews made me. Some of them made me laugh, to be honest. Apparently the whole alpha-female bit was quite hilarious. lol It's always nice to find out what readers like in a chapter. Oh yes, _bb-4ever_, have you taken a peek into my story notes by any chance? lol

Disclaimer: I don't own _Bones_. (Although I'm praying to get them for my b-day … Booth with a ribbon! (and nothing else hehe)) I also don't own A Brand and their music. I know, another chapter with another song but I couldn't help it. Throughout the entire story, I've been waiting for this chapter, all the while imagining it to this song. (It's called 'Some Peace' btw)

**- Week 3: Thursday -  
----------------------------------**

It was a quiet Thursday evening. Temperance watched the digits on her new alarm clock skip to 21:00. It was nine o'clock sharp and she and Booth were already lying in bed. She didn't find it awkward though. She was actually quite surprised that they had made it so far. The other days they had ended up on the couch, on the ground, up a wall and even on a dresser. The last one still made her blush, which she didn't understand. She had enough experience with other men to know that position but still … It had been slightly awkward to end up in such a situation with Booth, her partner - her friend - and now her lover. With a satisfied sigh she snuggled closer to the man lying beside her, all thoughts about love that had bugged her yesterday long forgotten.

_Slightly out of control we thought we had it all  
But that night when I called you a fraud  
Things got out of hand_

It were those thoughts that were now playing through Booth's head. He couldn't imagine something he'd rather like then to be close to Temperance. He let his cheek rest on the top of her head and draped his arms around her waist. Tempe's left hand sneaked up his stomach and came to a rest on the bare skin of his chest. It had become a habit for them to crawl close together after they had made love. Booth's fingers slowly danced up her arm. Arriving at her shoulder, he let them slowly slide down again. He continued stroking her upper arm until he saw Temperance's eyes flutter close and felt a sigh of breath tickle his chest. He marvelled at the peaceful sight of Temperance dozing in his arms. Every time he felt her hot breath run over his skin, he felt his heart swell with a way too familiar emotion. He felt it bubbling up inside of him. But instead of panicking, he calmly accepted what he was about to do. He couldn't keep it to himself any more.

"You're beautiful, Temperance." he murmured, still running his fingertips up and down her arm. Temperance slightly shifted but remained where she was. "I love you."

Her eyes immediately flew open. Booth could practically feel her blood run cold. Every muscle in her body tensed up, like she was an animal preparing to flee from its enemy. He tilted her head upwards to look her in the eye. Gazing intensely at her, he repeated "I love you".

Temperance gazed back at him for a minute before freeing herself from his embrace and backing away as far as she could without falling out of bed. She stared at him wide-eyed. "No, you don't."

He sat up straight. "Yes, I do."

"No, you don't … you … can't …" she whispered. She quickly turned around and got out of bed. She began pacing around nervously, all the while collecting her clothes. Booth stared at her. _This can't be happening. What have I done?_

He jumped out of bed as well. "Bones, why are you acting all scared?" _Like I don't know why …_

Temperance stopped in mid-movement, one leg already in her trousers, the other one hanging in the air. She gave him such a fearful stare that she made Booth think of a deer caught in a car's headlights. He grabbed his boxers and put them on.

"You shouldn't be surprised at my declaration, Bones. Being the smart woman you are, you must've seen it coming. You can't expect me to share all those experiences with you without feeling anything." Temperance shook her head and put her other leg in her trousers. She grabbed her top dangling from the corner of the dresser, mumbling something unintelligible. Booth decided to try again. "You must've suspected something, Bones. A guy doesn't go through all the trouble of buying flowers, taking you out on dates and making breakfast if he thinks the relationship is going nowhere. Speaking of preparing food, _you_ did that for me yesterday so that means _you_ have feelings for me too."

Temperance spun around and stormed out of the bedroom, leaving a sighing Booth behind. _She's running away, just like I predicted._ He rapidly put on his clothes and followed her.

_Slightly out of our minds we were just wasting time  
And you see my friend, there is no end  
Unless you land face down on the ground_

"Temperance …"

"You have to go now, Booth." she said as she came to a stop at the front door.

"What? No!"

"You have to." Temperance insisted, pulling the door open. "Please …" she nearly begged. She tried her best to keep a straight face. She couldn't let him see the wave of blind panic that was coursing through her.

Booth told hold of her shoulders with both hands. "No, I'm not going anywhere." The fear and panic in her eyes was clearly visible. The knowledge that he was responsible for those feelings, made him gulp. He felt guilty. Guilty for shattering her world, for scaring her like that, for forcing her to force him to leave. "Why are you scared?"

"I am not." She took a deep breath. "Please go, Booth."

He ignored her last words. "Don't pretend to be strong, Temperance. I know you better then you think I do. You clammed up the minute I voiced my feelings. Why are you scared of love? Is it because everyone leaves after they said they loved you?"

The slight widening of her irises and parting of her lips proved enough. He had touched a sensitive chord with his words. She drew in a shaky breath and said "I am _not_ scared."

"Have you ever considered that people leave because you tell them to?" Booth continued unfazed. He dropped his hands from her shoulders to his sides. "Something has changed, Temperance. _We_ have changed. I care more about you than you could ever imagine. If you think I'm going to stand here and watch how you crawl back behind that concrete wall of yours, then you're mistaken."

Just like Booth dropped his hands, Temperance dropped her gaze to the floor. She wanted to ask him once more to leave but the words were stuck in her throat. Instead she pulled the door just a bit more open, silently requesting his departure. Shaking his head, Booth complied. Once out of the apartment, he turned around. He stared at her, a strange emotion taking hold of him. He opened his mouth to say something but quickly shut it again, unable to find the right words that would make her open up again. He forced his mind to go over the last ten minutes. _She's scared. She's clamming up again. She … needs time._ The strange feeling strangling his heart slightly released its grip. This wasn't the end. Temperance needed time to sort everything out. It would be ruthless of him to drop a bomb on her and expect her to be fine afterwards.

"I love you, Temperance. I can't … won't … take it back."

She nodded and began closing the door, leaving Booth to helplessly watch how she shut the door in his face, just like she had shut her heart a couple of minutes before.

_And I need some peace of mind_

As the door clicked shut, Temperance allowed herself to lean against it for support. She shifted a bit so that her shoulder was pressed against the door. Sighing she ran a hand through her tangled hair.

"I know you do, Seeley." she whispered. _And that is the exact problem_.

Suppressing a frustrated groan, she stumbled through the living room towards the couch where she flopped down. Temperance stared ahead of her, not moving a muscle. Her outer stillness was the complete opposite of the nervousness she felt stomping around inside. Her mind was in state of alarm. Seeley Booth had declared his love for her.

And of course he expected an answer.

_And you realize  
You collect mistakes like they're postcards from exotic places  
And you realize you were pissing in your own backyard  
While you should have said hey and solved the problem_

She had known this moment would one day arrive. Seeley was right. They couldn't spend so much time together without feeling something. She had suspected his feelings, his deep caring. Her inner scientist had analysed every move he made, every word he said and had concluded that he saw her as more than a friend. _What a brilliant mind I have._ she inwardly sneered. _Of course he sees me as more than a friend. Otherwise we wouldn't have been fucking each other's brains out._

Then her mind reeled back to a conversation she had had with Angela a long time ago. Angela had, as always, been trying to convince Brennan that Booth was a good friend, a _very_ good friend. In fact, he was such a good friend, according to Angela, that Temperance should consider becoming 'friends with benefits' with him. No strings attached, just some casual sex between friends. Temperance remembered that from that moment on, she had started to look differently at her partner. She had considered to propose the whole 'friends with benefits' thing to Booth but had eventually decided not to. Somehow she had sensed that it wouldn't be 'just some casual sex' between them.

Even though she had always played dumb around Angela, she was no fool. Only a fool could miss the heavy sexual tension that had hung between them the second they had met. She had only chosen to ignore it for as long as she could. The tension had become thicker and almost unbearable every time they went through an extremely emotional experience. Somewhere along the way it had transformed from a simple yearning into a deep needing, comparable to the need of air for a human being.

Her strange and kind of creepy dream had been the last drop. It had given a new dimension to her longing. She had still longed for him physically - she even did now, when she was sore all over her body from satisfying her need as many times as she could - but a yearning of having him emotionally had been thrown into the mix. It had scared her to no end.

She, Temperance Brennan, longed for emotional intimacy.

She hid her head in her hands. Her mind was spinning out of control. All those thoughts about emotions and intimacy and Seeley made her dizzy. After more than two weeks she had finally discovered the true meaning of her dream. Subconsciously she had been mulling over the idea of letting someone behind her walls. That and the fear of getting hurt put together, had made her dream of a talking skeleton that claimed she didn't belong in the world of the living.

Of course she had known, somewhere in the back of her mind, that she belonged in the real world. It wasn't because she spent most of her days at the lab that she didn't know a thing or two about life. She could hold her own. Just because she didn't understand all the pop culture references that people threw at her, didn't mean that she was oblivious to the world. Just because she spent so much time working, didn't mean that she didn't know how to live. Just because she didn't hook up with a guy every weekend, didn't mean she didn't enjoy being around them and occasionally sleeping with them. She admitted that she didn't have such terrific people skills like Angela but that certainly didn't mean that she was stupid when it came to dealing with emotions. After all, she had alienated herself from the world, partly on purpose partly unintentionally, because she had understood that if she didn't create some distance between herself and her heart, she would've been ripped apart like a rag doll.

And then there had been that second dream, where the talking skeleton had enumerated all the reasons why people didn't like her. She could see clearly now that it had been her own insecurities talking. Temperance briefly wondered why she was able to pin down _now _what her dreams had been about. The answer came to her as she drew in another deep breath of air. _Because I'm no longer scared to death of the sensitive woman inside of me. The woman that loves burying her nose in a bouquet of flowers. The woman that rather likes chivalrous behaviour, even if it is typically alpha male._ _The woman that's not afraid of admitting …_ Admitting what? That she loved Seeley Booth?

She softly moaned. She knew she was trying to fool herself. Of course she loved him. Even a blind man could spot it a mile away. Now that Booth had put his feelings into words, it became painfully obvious that she felt the same way.

She loved him. How could she have missed that, being the thorough scientist she was? The passion with which she responded to his gestures, the underlying tenderness when she spoke his name, the way her stomach did back flips at the very thought of being near him, … It were all silent indicators of her feelings. There was only one reason she could think of why she had ignored her heart: she had been afraid of moving forward.

Telling someone you loved them, meant progress. You took another step forward in life, together with the person you loved. It meant you had to change your whole way of living. The moment you opened your mouth and said 'I love you', you kissed your old life goodbye. You bulldozed everything familiar out of the way to make room for a new beginning. She had always been afraid of taking that step. As soon as the other men in her life informed her that they were ready to take their relationship to the next level, she had bailed out. She had, as Booth had pointed it out, made them leave. The few that had cared enough to stay around had been crossed out by her, without any remorse. They had asked her to change and she had refused to.

She chewed her bottom lip. Now Booth was asking the same thing of her. Was she willing to change for him? The way she had nearly thrown him out of her apartment left little to the imagination. Her breath caught in her throat. _I'm making the same mistake again._

_And I need some peace of mind_

She jumped to her feet and began pacing around. She needed to calm down. She needed the thoughts that were racing around in her head to come to a stop before she lost control. She had been agitated before but never _this_ agitated. Who wouldn't be pacing around like a lion in a cage when they realised they had cold-heartedly sent the person they loved away?

She couldn't calm down. The only things that could relax her were physical exhaustion and physical closeness. _And I need Seeley for both of them._ Temperance slowed down a bit as she recalled how Booth had soothed her by allowing her to listen to his heartbeat. At the time she had felt vulnerable but most of all stupid. _A grown up woman who needed to hear another heart thumping against her ear to assure herself everything was alright … ridiculous!_ But she couldn't deny that it had comforted her. Being able to listen to his heart meant that he was close. And at that precise moment, she had needed him to be close. Just like she had needed him in order to let go of her frustration after the book signing. The memory made her smile. It had been typically Booth to see to it that she got the physical exhaustion she desperately sought but at the same time had made sure that she sought it with him.

The steady stream of memories that filled her head made her realise how big her mistake actually was. _I should never have made him leave. But it seemed like such a good idea at the time …_ When Booth had said he loved her, she had panicked. She had scrambled back into her shell as fast as she could. Time. She had needed time, a moment for herself to put everything into perspective.

Temperance came to a stop. _I've made the same mistake. Seeley's different. He's always been different. He's nothing like everyone I've ever tolerated in my presence. Do I want him to make a difference in my life?_ She stared at her front door, realising he had already made a difference. _No, the real question is: Am I willing to change some more for him?_ _Am I willing to give him everything, including my heart?_

She already knew that she wanted no-one else in her bed. All she had to consider now was if she wanted no-one else but him in her life. Her feet obliged before she could answer her own silent questions. Before she knew it, she had grabbed her jacket and was heading out the door.

_Slightly out of our minds we were just wasting time_

Booth had been driving around for almost an hour now. Street after street he had driven through. Building after building he had passed. Mile after mile he had pushed his car forward. And still he couldn't shake the restless feeling that possessed his body. He knew he wanted to do nothing more than to pull up at her building, kick down her door and force her to face her feelings. But he couldn't give in to that urge. She needed time, some personal time to sort everything out. She'd make up her mind. And when she had done that, she would either shut him out of her life or open up her heart completely. For the past hour he had been praying non-stop that she would decide to do the latter. She couldn't shut him out. He wouldn't survive if she did. He was in too deep; she meant more to him than any other woman he had ever known.

He drove past her building for the eleventh time. A quick glance told him that her car was parked in its usual spot. She was still at home, probably pacing around. He speeded up a bit. He couldn't stop now. She'd come to him once she had made up her mind. _She'll make the right decision. I have to have faith in her. _

Half an hour later he pulled up at his own apartment building. Completely caught up in his thoughts, he made his way to his apartment. The second he slid his key into the lock, the door flew open, revealing a tall auburn-haired woman.

"Temperance?" he gasped.

_And I need some peace of mind_

They stared at each other, both searching for the right words. Finally Temperance cleared her throat.

"Before you say anything …" she trailed off as she pulled up both legs of her trousers to reveal a pair of red socks with blue heels and blue toes. Booth stared at her feet. _Her favourite socks. The pair she only wears when she needs a boost of confidence. She probably needed it to come down here.  
_

He looked up to meet her gaze. A strange mixture of fear, resignation and tenderness was swimming in her eyes. Relief flooded through him. _She's made the right choice. _Realising that Temperance wasn't giving up on them made him spread out his arms. Her eyes lit up immediately, replacing the strange mixture with happiness and relief. Letting out a content sigh, she slammed into him and buried her face in his jacket.

"I'm not saying it. Don't expect me to, Seeley." she murmured.

"I know. I understand. It's a big step for you to take. All I want to know is if you care about me. Not love, just care."

Temperance nodded. She had come to the conclusion that she was willing to give him everything but that she was unable to put her feelings into words. She needed to gather up some more courage before she would be able to utter those three little words.

"Good, that's all I needed." Booth mumbled.

"I might never say it back, Seeley."

"That's a risk I'm willing to take. I love you, Temperance. I can wait forever if that's how long it's going to take."

His loving words made her heart ache. He was putting his heart on the line for her and she couldn't find the courage to return his words. Picking up his familiar scent, she decided to stop analysing and enjoy being close to him again. She had spent more than an hour trying to figure out her feelings. She had done enough thinking for one night. Tomorrow there would be another day where she would have the chance to figure out why it was so hard for her to say 'I love you'.


	20. Week 3: Friday

Author's note: For those of you who are interested in reading another piece of my work, I've posted a one-shot about 3 days ago. I needed to let out some of my craziness. You have been warned! lol Right, about this chapter then. There isn't much "plot" in this one, just _a lot_ of BB-goodness (which I think is quite explicit considering my other chapters). :-) Come to think of it, maybe I should change the rating of this thing to an M? It's not that I'm a prude but you know …

For my reviewers: So many people bothered to review my story, not just the last chapter but the previous chapters as well. I'll try my best to mention everyone here, don't shoot me if I accidentally forget you! Right, here we go … Thank you _jaed621, Egyptianautumn, Amasayda, Addictt_ (I feel honoured to be on your favourites list hehe!)_, willgirl, Bellabun, I hart Booth _(Do you really think they'd love to read my work?), _canadianagurl, bb-4ever, Bsquared19, From me to you_ and _krisnina77_.

Disclaimer: °in a smug voice° Of course I own _Bones._ The whole show was my idea! °pauses° Right, and pink elephants truly exist …

**- Week 3: Friday -  
----------------------------------------**

Temperance shot upright. With a bewildered look on her face she took in her unfamiliar surroundings. _Where am I?_ It wasn't until a sleepy voice said "Bones?" that she remembered she was at Booth's place. Booth sat up straight as well, rubbing the sleep from his eyes with one hand.

"What's the matter, Bones?" he asked, reaching out to flick on the lamp standing on his nightstand.

Temperance silently stared at him. Bits and pieces of her dream came back to her as she took in his handsome features.

--° _Start dream sequence_ °--

Just like in her other dreams, she was at the Jeffersonian with her team, busy with examining a skeleton. She wasn't surprised that the others weren't listening to her, she already knew that it was part of her dream. It would never happen in real life. She didn't freak out either when the skeleton started to move. The skull claimed once again that she didn't fit in the world of her friends, that she was meant to live like a skeleton. Only this time she remained calm and balanced instead of picking up the skull and throwing it across the room.

"You're wrong. I _do_ fit in. I'm not afraid of my emotions anymore."

The skull snorted. "Of course you are. You're afraid of letting someone in."

"I am not!"

"You're afraid of letting someone know he means the world to you."

"I am not!"

The skull snorted again. "You're afraid of saying 'I love you'."

"I … I …" Temperance fell silent. She couldn't come up with a witty answer. Who was she to deny the truth? All she could do, was stare at the skull as it began to laugh again.

--° _End dream sequence_ °--

Booth brushed her hair out of her face. He frowned his forehead as he watched her stare off into space. In all the nights they had spent together, he had never seen her wake up so violently. Finally Temperance shook her head and redirected her gaze back to him.

"The dream … It's back …" she mumbled.

He grasped her hand and soothingly ran his thumb over her knuckles. "I thought we had dealt with that issue? You belong in the world of the living, with me."

Temperance shook her head. "It was different this time." Her gaze flicked from his face to their hands. "The skeleton was mocking me because I can't say I … I …" she faltered, unable to finish her sentence.

"I love you?" Booth continued.

Temperance nodded.

"You shouldn't worry so much about it. When the time is right, you'll say it."

She stared at their hands, his thumb still stroking her knuckles. _He puts so much faith in me. More than I do myself._ She let out a deep sigh. _Why can't I change enough? Why don't I want to move forward?_ Booth slid back down, pulling Temperance down with him. Temperance's arm sneaked around his waist so she could pull herself closer to him. Her leg slid over his thighs and she placed her head on his chest. Booth wrapped his arms around her and let his chin rest on her head. The sweet scent of her hair tickled his nose. He pressed a kiss on her hair.

"It's all right, Temperance. I don't care how long it takes as long as you're with me."

Temperance looked up to see the tenderness and love fighting for a place in his eyes. _What have I done to deserve him?_ She reached up to capture his lips. One of his hands disappeared into her hair. The kiss quickly evolved from loving to longing in a matter of seconds, igniting a fire within them. Booth rolled over a bit until Brennan was lying on her back and he on his side, propped up on one elbow. He slowly pulled his mouth away to say something.

"You may not be able to say it but I am. I love you, Bones. I love you right up to the moon and back."

An amused smile appeared on Temperance's face. "You got that one out of a book." Booth's perplexed expression made her grin even more. "Just because I don't want any children, doesn't mean I don't know a thing or two about children's books, Booth. 'I love you right up to the moon and back' is a direct quote from _Guess How Much I Love You_ by Sam McBratney."

"How come you know that book?"

Temperance's cheeks flushed. "Doesn't matter. Where were we?" She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Bones …" he said in a menacing voice as he leaned in close. "Don't make me use the tickling torture again."

She sighed. "Fine. A while back, I was at your place to drop off some paperwork when you were tucking Parker in for the night. I heard you read it to him."

Booth chuckled. "You were eavesdropping on me and my son?" She nodded. "You could've joined us."

She shook her head. "No, I didn't want to interrupt a private moment with your son. Plus, we were partners. It would've been unprofessional of me."

"Bones, first of all, Parker likes you. He wouldn't have minded you being there. As for being an unprofessional partner, we've always been more than just working partners. You wouldn't have crossed a line because you helped me put my son to bed." He ran a finger along her jaw bone. "You have to do that one day, you know?"

"Do what?"

"Put my son to bed. Do the whole read-him-a-story-give-him-a-kiss-goodnight routine."

"Booth, no I …" she protested.

"Yeah yeah, you're no good with children. I've heard that excuse dozens of times before." He leaned in a bit again. "You don't have to worry about a thing, Bones. I'll teach you everything." He placed a quick kiss on her lips. "But that's still in the future. For now I have to find an original way to show you how much I love you since my last statement was obviously ripped from a book."

Temperance let out a relieved sigh. She was glad he was dropping the whole Parker-subject. It wasn't that she didn't like that little blond-haired guy but she wasn't ready for all the maternal feelings stirring in her heart. She had to deal with her feelings towards Booth first before she could concentrate on his son. Temperance studied his face as he tried to come up with another way of showing her how much he loved her. She was surprised that the words didn't make her cringe anymore. In fact, she was rather enjoying hearing him say he loved her. She was glad at least one of them had found the courage to open up and spill his feelings. It meant that there was hope for them, a future. The thought of having someone to share her future with was more comforting then she ever imagined.

"Alright, I've got something." Booth announced. Temperance looked at him expectantly. He brought his hand up and briefly touched her lips. "I love your smile, the way you walk. I love your scent, the way you talk."

She could hardly contain a laugh. "I didn't know you could rhyme. It's ehm … surprising, to say the least."

"You've got some nerve lady, mocking my rhyming skills like that." he grinned back. "Well, how about this … I love seeing you squint at things. I love how hot you sound when you're using that scientific lingo of yours and how your brow furrows when you're trying to place a pop culture reference."

While he was talking, his hand had sneaked under the tank top Temperance was wearing. He dragged his warm fingers over her equally warm skin, sending sparks of desire up her spine. She shifted under his seductive touch, which was feeding the fire inside of her he had ignited a few moments ago with his kiss.

"I love how your eye colour changes with every mood shift."

They locked eyes. Booth was delighted to see the pale blue of her eyes change to a deep blue, resembling the colour of the Mediterranean Sea. He helped her take off her tank top so he could drink in the glowing beauty of her upper body. Still leaning on one elbow, he let his other hand roam over her body. Temperance was breathing heavier now and arching up to meet his caresses.

"I love how your body responds to me."

He replaced his hand with his mouth. The contact of his warm wet lips with her burning skin made her shiver. She put a hand behind his head to make sure he'd keep his mouth on her body. He trailed a path of nibbling, sucking and licking from her neck down her chest, stalling long enough on her breasts to make her writhe with pleasure. He dragged his mouth back up to suck the sensitive spot of her throat where he could feel her heart beat. When Temperance moaned, he could feel the vibrations with his lips. He let go of her skin to lock eyes with her again. The blue of her eyes had changed again; it now was a deep shade of blue, the kind the sky is just before night falls. His breath caught in his throat. _God, she's beautiful. _Her eye lids fluttered closed when his hand slid down her stomach, snaking its way under the pair of comfortable cotton panties she was wearing.

"I love how arousing it is to just look at you." he said in a hoarse voice.

Temperance let her hand fall from his neck onto the covers, which she gripped tightly as Booth's fingers did their magic. A deep moan rolled over her lips. Then she opened her eyes and gave him a pleading look.

"Seeley …" she murmured, tugging at his boxers.

He leaned down to crush her lips with a searing kiss. "I love how you say my name." he practically growled.

Booth pulled back his hand to remove her underwear. His boxers soon followed. He let his hands roam freely over her body again before rolling on top of her. The warmth radiating from her made him close his eyes for a second. Temperance whimpered as she arched her hips upwards to beg him for release. He opened his eyes again and was hit full force by the desire and love racing through his body as he took in the sight of a panting and writhing Temperance.

"I love how I can completely lose myself in you." he managed to choke out, just before he plunged into her warmth.

---°---

He collapsed on top of her, totally spent. She kept her legs wrapped around his hips, not wanting to let go of him as she was still floating high. Booth rolled off of her and pulled her close to him. He took deep breaths to steady the rapid beating of his heart. He ran his fingers over her arms and sides while Temperance was coming down from her last orgasm. They were both panting and their skin was moist with sweat. He pressed a tender kiss on her hair. Temperance let out a deep sigh and mumbled something about earthquakes and almost passing out. The corners of his mouth curled upwards in a satisfied grin.

He sent a silent prayer to 'the man upstairs' to thank him for bringing Temperance in his life. He couldn't remember how it had been with the other women he had shared his bed with. They all paled before the woman that was currently curled up against him. The explosiveness of their love game always made him gasp for air. He'd never tire of having her, loving her. It was right there and then that he realised he had found something everyone looks for but only a few find: true love.

"Now where was I?" he said. "Oh right, I was naming all the things I love about you. Let's see what else I like … I love how natural it feels to hold you."

To emphasize his words, he tightened his grip around her waist. A content sigh escaped her.

"I love how your head fits perfectly in the crook of my arm."

She stifled a yawn and closed her eyes. Her breathing soon deepened. With a tender smile plastered on his face he watched her fall asleep.

"But most of all, I love how you love me." he whispered before closing his own eyes and drifting off to a peaceful sleep.


	21. Week 3: Saturday

Author's note: Someone please shoot me! I started a new working experience on Monday and it's just horrible! They only let me rename and copy files! Today I spent one whole hour punching holes in heaps and heaps of papers. By the time I was allowed to go home, I felt like punching myself! Tomorrow I have to go help in the library. They want me to put all the books in alphabetical order. You have no idea how huge their library is ... The good thing is that I'll have a computer nearby so I'll be able to read your reviews :-) (Feel free to cheer me up, hehe)

For my reviewers: Thank you _moonofmathmaticalwisdom_ (See, I kept my promise!), _jaed621, krisnina77_ (You weren't the only one who was having a bad day), _Amasayda, betht27, Addictt, trosiak, canadianagurl, bb-4ever, EternalConfusion, Shortymae, I hart Booth, Egyptianautumn, squinter, Preppy Princess 5103, Bellabun and Halfpastdead001._

Disclaimer: I've spent the last 3 days studying codes of law so believe me when I say that I have absolutely no right to claim _Bones_.

**- Week 3: Saturday -  
-----------------------------------------**

Booth opened the wardrobe to pull out a clean shirt and suit. He immediately noticed how full the wardrobe actually was. Skirt next to skirt, trousers next to trousers, jackets next to jackets - they were all hanging neatly on coat hangers. The wardrobe also counted two shelves, which were crammed with tops, T-shirts and sweaters. With an amused smile he turned towards Temperance who just entered the bedroom.

"You should consider buying a larger wardrobe. Your clothes nearly came pouring out when I opened the door."

Temperance peeked over his shoulder at her stuffed closet. "Those aren't just my clothes. There's some stuff of you in there too." She brushed past him to point at several pairs of trousers, shirts and even a sweater. "And there are at least five pairs of socks and some underwear stuffed in my dresser."

He scratched the back of his head. "Now I know why the wardrobe at my apartment is suddenly empty. I'm sorry, Bones, for taking up all your space. I'll take my things with me tonight."

Temperance shook her head. "No, that's illogical, Booth. You spent most of your time at my place. It makes more sense to keep part of your clothes here then somewhere you come two, maybe three, times a week."

Booth smiled at her. _And that's one step closer to moving in together._ The thought of going home, to _their_ place, made him grin from ear to ear. He quickly averted his head when he received a puzzled look from her. _Right, let's not rush into things. She needs to express her love first._ He reached out and managed to pull a shirt from the wardrobe without pushing anything else from its coat hanger.

---°---

He was putting on his shoes when he saw her walking towards him from the corner of his eye. She grabbed her jacket to put it on and reached for her shoes.

"What are you doing, Temperance?" he asked, straightened himself up.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm putting on my shoes, of course."

"I can see that but I want to know _why_ you're doing that." he retorted.

She sighed and straightened up as well. "I'm going to the lab, Seeley. I've got work to do."

He gave her a stern stare. "You're _not_ going to work, Temperance."

"Why the hell not?" she lashed out, putting her hands on her hips. A piercing glare accompanied her words.

"Because it's Saturday." he clarified.

Her glare became even more piercing. She crossed her arms before her chest. "I don't see why that would be an issue. You're going to work as well." With a nod of her head she pointed at the suit he was wearing.

Booth put his hands on his hips and stared at her. "That's different, Bones."

She pinched her lips. "_What_ did you just say?"

Too late Booth realised his mistake. _I have to think of something before she explodes. _"Nothing, Bones. I said absolutely nothing. Put your shoes on and let's go to work. I'll drop you off at the lab."

Temperance menacingly took a few steps forward. "You have double standards for men and women!" she stated. "It's typical alpha male behaviour to order the woman to stay behind while the man - you - goes hunting - or in this case - working. I've said that I've begun to appreciate your alpha male tendencies but not this one! I'm putting my heal down now. I'm not staying home because I'm a _woman_."

"Put your foot down, Bones. You put your _foot_ down." Booth sighed. "I didn't want you to stay here because you're a woman but because you deserve a weekend off. You've worked your butt off the entire week."

"As did you." she pointed out. "If we follow your train of thought, then _you_ should take the day off as well." She paused. "But you're not, which brings me to my original statement: you have double standards!"

Booth shoved his hands in his pockets. "Bones, I was only planning on getting some work done today so I could take Wednesday off. For Parker, remember?"

"Of course I remember!" she said, putting her shoes on. "You told me." Booth watched her conduct with raised eyebrows. "I intended on doing the same." He sent her a questioning look. "I want to come with you and Parker on Wednesday. Dr. Goodman will only give me the day off if I have finished my paperwork."

A smile broke over his face. "You want to go to the zoo with me and Parker?"

Temperance nodded. "I have to learn the read-a-story-give-a-kiss-goodnight routine someday."

His smile grew even bigger. "Alright, Bones. Let's go get some work done then!"

He put his hand on her lower back to guide her out of the apartment.

"Hey Seeley, what did you think I was going to do all day when you were at the office?"

Booth grinned, preparing himself for the slap on his arm that would surely follow his words. "I don't know, Bones. Cooking? Cleaning? Knitting, perhaps?"

---°---

Temperance scanned herself onto the platform and made her way to her office where she changed into her lab coat. She was about to leave her office but found Angela blocking her path. The artist crossed her arms and looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"Sweetie, I thought we went over this last week. Saturdays aren't meant to be spent at the lab but at home."

"Booth's fine with it, Angela." Temperance said after she had rolled her eyes. "He knows I'm here. In fact, he's working himself. We have to finish up the paperwork of our last case so that we can take the day off on Wednesday."

Angela's raised-eyebrows look turned into a massive grin. "You're not working this Wednesday? What special plans do you and that hunky FBI agent of yours have? Please tell me you're planning a romantic get-away!"

Temperance went over to her comfortable couch and sat down. "No, Parker is coming over."

"He's sharing his son with you??" Angela squealed as she flopped down beside her best friend. "You _do_ know what that means, Bren?" Temperance simply stared at the artist. "It means, sweetie, that he wants a future for the both of you. He loves you!"

"I know that." Brennan sighed. "He told me two days ago."

Angela gawked at her. "He _told_ you he loves you and you're just fine with that? You didn't freak out? You didn't slam the door in his face? You didn't book the first flight to Siberia?"

Temperance averted her eyes. "I kicked him out of my apartment." A frustrated moan escaped the artist's mouth. "But I went to his place afterwards to apologize and explain everything." Brennan rapidly added, making eye contact with the artist again. Angela's smile made its reappearance again.

"I'm _so_ proud of you, honey!" She patted Brennan's hand. "How did he react when you said you loved him too?"

Temperance nervously bit her bottom lip. "That's the thing … I didn't say it back." She watched Angela's eyed grow big.

"Please tell me you didn't …" Angela said, trailing off as she saw Temperance once again avert her eyes. She sighed and grabbed her friend's hands. "Listen sweetie, in the past couple of weeks I have seen you open up so much I could hardly believe it." She gave Brennan's hand a squeeze. "You love him. He's the only man that can make you lose your concentration. Whenever he's around, your eyes sparkle and your step is lighter. He teases you and you tease him right back; I have never seen you tease someone back before." Angela sighed. "It's as simple as counting to ten. You love him."

Temperance jerked her hand out of Angela's hold. "I know I do, Angela." she snapped, immediately regretting her outburst. "I know I do." she repeated, softer this time. "I just can't bring myself to say those words."

"You can't say 'I love you'?" Temperance shook her head. "Does Booth know that?"

Now she nodded. "He said he'd wait, no matter how long it takes."

Angela put one hand on her heart. "Ah, spoken like a true knight in standard FBI issued body armour." she sighed romantically. She stared off into space until Temperance cleared her throat. "Right, sorry. I was just …"

"Hodgins?" Temperance guessed. The large grin that appeared on her friend's face said enough. "It's frustrating, Angela. I _want_ to tell him how I feel, I really do. But I can't seem to put those three words together in one coherent sentence."

"It's certainly strange to hear you stumble over something as easy as 'I love you'." Angela agreed.

"It's not that easy. There's a whole world hidden behind those words."

"I understand why you're having so much trouble here, sweetie. Saying you love him means throwing the door to your heart wide open. It's a very emotionally charged situation for you." Temperance let out a deep puff of air to emphasize Angela's words. "But still, it's strange to hear you - Dr. Temperance Brennan, author of world-famous books - be at a loss for worlds. Because, you know, you're always so articulate on paper." the artist explained.

This seemed to make Temperance think even more. Absentmindedly she patted Angela's hand and thanked her for the advice. Still lost in her thoughts she exited her office and went to the platform to get some work done.

---°---

At five o'clock Booth sauntered through the entrance doors of the Jeffersonian and hopped up the stairs to the platform after having himself scanned in. He greeted Zach and Hodgins who were working on the platform and went over to Brennan's office.

Hodgins nudged Zach as they watched the FBI agent enter the office without knocking. "Is he going to do what I think he's going to do?"

Zach frowned his forehead. "I'm not psychic. I don't know what you're thinking."

"Is he really ... No, he couldn't ..." Hodgins continued, not paying attention to Zach's words. "Is he really going to try to get Dr. Brennan to leave the lab at this hour?" He laughed a little. "Good luck with that, G-man!"

"I bet you twenty dollars that Dr. Brennan will be walking out the door with him within the next five minutes."

Hodgins, who smelled an opportunity to easily earn twenty dollars, shook Zach's hand with a massive grin plastered on his face. "You're on."

They both returned to their work, all the while keeping an eye on the door of Brennan's office. Zach was writing his observations down on his clipboard when he heard Hodgins moan. He looked up to see Booth and Brennan exiting the office; Booth's hand, as always, resting comfortably on Temperance's lower back.

"No way! How did you know that?" Hodgins exclaimed.

"I'm not as socially stupid as you often think I am. I've noticed the change between them."

"What change?"

Just then they saw Booth lean in to say something in Temperance's ear, which made her laugh.

"That change." Zach stated.

Hodgins eyes darted from the couple to the young scientist standing next to him. "And you noticed that? All by yourself? Without any help from Angela?"

Zach nodded. "I'm surprised Angela didn't tell _you_."

This made Hodgins grin again. "Well, you know, we spend a lot of time together. We just don't spend it _talking_, if you know what I mean." By now the couple had left the Jeffersonian, leaving Hodgins staring at the door and Zach scribbling things down on his clipboard. "I still don't believe you just _noticed_ the change between them."

"Believe it or not but even_ I_ can tell if Dr. Brennan is behaving out of the ordinary."

A pensive look appeared on Hodgins' face. All of a sudden he burst out laughing and slapped Zach on the back, which sent the young scientist tumbling forward. "Nice try, Zach. For a minute I actually believed your social skills had improved. Admit it, Angela told you about them."

"I told him what?" a female voice interrupted.

"About Booth and Dr. Brennan being together." Hodgins answered as he whirled around and sent the artist a broad smile.

Angela shook her head. "I didn't tell him, Jack."

"No, she only mentioned that the sexual tension between Agent Booth and Dr. Brennan had increased even more. That combined with the findings of our security guard, led me to the conclusion that they are seeing each other regularly and therefore Agent Booth could manage to get Dr. Brennan out of the lab at 5 pm on a Saturday evening."

"What findings of our security guard?" Hodgins asked.

"Tom mentioned yesterday that Dr. Brennan has scanned out at 5.30 almost every night for the past two weeks."

"He's told her he loved her." Angela sighed to no-one in particular. The two men turned their attention onto the artist - Zach giving her the calculating look he gave everyone and everything, Hodgins with a more incredulous expression on his face. "They make such a nice couple, don't you think?" she added. Hodgins nodded to agree with her.

"It's a typical couple." Zach monotonously stated. "Agent Booth is a strong male; Dr. Brennan a strong female. Alpha male finds alpha female." He redirected his gaze back to his clipboard. "Rejoice, the world can keep on turning." he added, a slight hint of sarcasm audible in his voice.

Hodgins and Angela quirked their eyebrows at his words. "Zach my man, that was a lousy combination of science talk and sarcasm. You're just disappointed that Dr. Brennan didn't get it on with you before she decided to give things a try with Booth."

"The odds that Dr. Brennan and I would get involved like she did with her professor were very likely." Zach protested.

"Whatever, Zach." Hodgins laughed. "Just ... suck it up, dude."

With that he draped his arm around Angela's shoulder and went off to one of the separate examination rooms, probably to ask the artist all about the new kind of relationship Booth and Brennan had.

"Whatever, Hodgins. But you still owe me twenty bucks." Zach muttered while continuing his observations.

---°---

"Seeley, where are you taking me?"

Booth and Brennan were currently sitting in Booth's truck, driving towards an unknown destination. Booth smiled at the question Temperance had posed nearly every two minutes since he had dragged her to his SUV. He gave her a sideway glance to find her staring at him. _She always wants to know everything. Well though luck, I'm not telling her this time. It has to be a surprise._ After he had given her his trademark charm smile, he fixed his attention back on the road. The surprise he had in store for her would be something she'd never expect. So far, he loved her reaction. When he had picked her up in the lab, he had expected her to protest against leaving work at five o'clock on a Saturday evening. But she had gotten up and had walked away with him without even the slightest hint of annoyance. He looked at her from the corner of his eye. _She's got something up her sleeve, but what?_

In his head he replayed the last two hours. First he had taken her back to her apartment, which he kept referring to as _their_ apartment in his mind, to make her a nice dinner. Afterwards they had settled down onto the couch with a glass of wine, with the lights dimmed. He vividly remembered how the soft light had played over her hair and face. His heart had ached at the lovely sight; he'd never tire of studying her face, of drinking in her beauty. At 7.30 he had gotten up and had grabbed their coats while ordering Temperance to follow him to his car. Again, she had done so without protesting, which he - again - found surprising but didn't mind at all. If she had flung her regular protest at his head, they would've been late. He slid his sleeve a bit backwards to look at his watch and smiled. _And now we're just on time._

"Seeley …" she tried again.

"Using my first name will get you nowhere, Temperance. You'll just have to wait and see."

Five minutes later he pulled up at a small booth. He saw Temperance raise her eyebrows when he rolled down his window and asked for two tickets. After the woman at the register had giving him what he had asked for, he drove on.

"Welcome to the Retro Drive-In, Bones, where they only play good old movies from the '70's and '80's." Booth said, parking the car in the outmost corner of the parking lot. "If you refuse to buy a TV, then I'm bringing the world of movies to you in a different way."

Temperance first stared at him, then at the huge screen standing at the other side of the parking lot. A smile tugged at her lips. "If we're here to see a movie, how come we're parked in the back?"

"Because nobody would ever think about disturbing the cars parked there." Booth grinned before intertwining their hands. "Which is perfect if you want to, you know, fool around." His thumb slowly rubbed circles on her hand.

Temperance smiled and scooted a bit closer to him. Booth smiled back. He draped his arm around her shoulders just before the first images appeared on the big screen. Temperance let out a content sigh. Thanks to Angela she could enjoy this night out with Booth without having to think of her emotional issues. _And all it took, was one conversation with Angela and one phone call._


	22. Week 3: Sunday

Author's note: A special day deserves a special chapter! °grins° Thought I'd give myself a nice birthday present: lots and lots of BB-fluff! Apparently a certain someone (you know who you are!) had pretty much the same idea as me. Let me assure you that I didn't mean to steal, copy, etc ... your idea. I got the idea for this chapter about two months ago. It's just a coincidence, that's all! Or maybe the cliché is true after all … (You know, great minds think alike) Oh right, jaed621, I used one of the expressions you once wrote in one of your reviews. :-)

For my reviewers: Thank you H_alfpastdead001, squinter, Bellabun, bb-4ever, xSomeHeartsx, Egyptainautumn, Michelle, I hart Booth, jaed621, krisnina77, Lady Elanya _and _Shortymae_. It was fantastic to read your reviews when I was on my lunch break.

Disclaimer: I don't own _Bones_ but I do own the DVD-box of season 1! (God, bless my parents!) My best friend still has to give me her gift so there's still a change that I'm getting Booth. lol

**- Week 3: Sunday -  
----------------------------------**

A familiar scent tickled her nose when she drew in a deep breath. Her eyelids fluttered open before a smile appeared on her face. She looked up and was met with the sight of a peaceful Booth, still fast asleep. She gazed at him for a few moments, seizing the opportunity to watch him secretly like he often did with her when he thought she was too busy to notice. Then she carefully disentangled herself from his embrace and slid out of bed. Still wearing her smile, she tiptoed out of the bedroom towards the kitchen where she could execute the first part of her plan. _All I've got to do, is make sure he isn't around at 11 o'clock._

Twenty minutes later she re-entered the bedroom, carrying a large tray with two glasses of orange juice, a pot of jam, six pieces of toast and two dishes of omelette.

"Wake up, bonehead." she said.

"That's sleepyhead, Bones." Booth muffled into his pillow. He rolled onto his back and yawned while stretching out his arms above his head. Then he propped himself up on one elbow. "What'cha got there?"

"Breakfast." she proudly beamed before she carefully sat down onto the bed. "I thought I'd return the favour since you've made me breakfast almost every morning."

He examined the tray sitting on her lap. "Not bad, Temperance." he grinned. He shifted until he was sitting straight with his back against the headboard of the bed. "Not bad at all."

Booth took over the tray from her and placed it on his thighs. He grabbed a fork to taste some of the omelette. Temperance followed his example, picking up a fork and a dish from the tray.

"You should do this more often." he said with his mouth full of egg.

"Don't talk with your mouth full."

He swallowed everything and grinned at her. "Djee Bones, you sounded like my mother there for a second. I guess your maternal instincts are already resurfacing. Parker will be delighted."

"Shut up, Seeley." she retorted, slapping him playfully on the arm.

After having set down the tray onto the nightstand, he turned towards his companion with a broad smile. "Don't tell me to shut up." he threatened, approaching her dangerously.

With a sparkle in her eyes, Temperance set down her dish as well. "Shut up, Seeley." She began to back away, fully aware of what was about to come: a round of tickling torture.

Booth didn't disappoint her. Imitating the growl of a lion, he jumped on top of her and let his fingertips dance over her ribcage. It briefly flashed through his mind that they were behaving like ten years olds but he didn't care. All he wanted, was to put a smile on Temperance's face. He did more than that; he made her laugh uncontrollably as they rolled over the mattress.

Temperance didn't go down without a fight. Between fits of laughter she managed to lock her legs securely around his waist. Before the FBI agent knew what was happening she rolled him onto his back, pinning his hands down above his head and holding his lower body in place with her hips. She flashed him a predatory smile, one she had seen him throw at her every time he was planning on satisfying his urges.

"Shut up, Seeley." she breathed in a husky voice.

He gazed up at her. The desire blazing from her eyes took his breath away. In a matter of seconds they had turned from giggling children into hungry grown-ups who wanted to do nothing more then lose themselves in each other. Temperance rolled her hips in such a sensual way that he could do nothing more than close his eyes and let the pleasure wash over him. He grunted deeply before breaking free from her hold. He quickly rolled over so that he was on top. Although he was having a hard time controlling himself, he needed to ask her something first. Her light-heartiness of last night and her rather bubbly mood of this morning bothered him. _Well, I'm not really bothered, more like concerned. She never behaves like this._

"What has got you so happy, Bones? You behave as if you don't have a care in the world."

_That's because I'm carefree._ She bit her bottom lip as she let her gaze travel over his face. _But I can't tell him that; it would ruin my entire plan._ The truth was that Temperance felt like she had been liberated from her chains. Ever since she had met Booth, he had been inching her forward towards a normal life. He had gradually stripped away all her layers until there was left nothing more but bare skin. To her surprise she hadn't felt naked or cold. Her love for him kept her warm. Yes, _her_ _love_. The second she had embraced her more then platonic feelings for her partner, she had felt free. She, Dr. Temperance Brennan, the seemingly cold scientist who only trusted hard facts, was able to love and be loved in return without being afraid of rejection.

She had always known that Booth wouldn't abandon her as his partner. He'd never leave her as a friend. And now he had proven to be trustworthy as a lover. For the past few weeks he had been spoon feeding her their new kind of relationship, giving her plenty of opportunities to back out if she wanted to. But she hadn't felt the urge to do so. Deep down she had known he wouldn't hurt her. She trusted him with her heart and soul; that was why she had let him in on her whole strange-dream business.

Temperance felt her love for her partner course through her body when she locked eyes with him. The intensity that shone from them made chills run down her spine. It suddenly hit her how uncharacteristically it was of her to bring him breakfast on bed and roll around with him like a giggling schoolgirl. _He must be thinking I'm on drugs._

She quickly brushed her thoughts away. Booth would have an answer to his question by the end of the day.

"Do you really want to know, Seeley? It's a very _very_ long explanation."

Booth rolled his eyes. "Then it can wait. For now I'm only interested in finding out how your delicious skin tastes when I put some of this jam on it."

---°---

Temperance sucked the last bits of jam from her fingertips. She gave Booth a lazy smile when he wiped a forgotten drop of jam from her collar bone. She grabbed his hand to lick it off his finger. A hissing sound escaped him. Seeing, or rather hearing, his reaction she licked his finger again. With eyes darkened by desire, Booth pulled back his hand and put it in her neck to drag her head closer for a hot kiss.

"Are you ready for a second round?" he asked in a hoarse voice after they broke apart.

She glanced at the alarm clock on her night stand. _10.56 am. I have to get him out of the room now._ "I'd love to but you're all sticky." she smiled.

"You are too." he pointed out. "I suggest we use the jam again. That way neither of us will mind nor notice the stickiness." He reached for the almost empty pot lying forgotten on the floor. He set it on the nightstand and turned back to Temperance. "I really want to lick it off you again, more specifically here ..." he continued, his fingers trailing down her stomach towards her more private parts.

Temperance sucked in a sharp breath. _He's making this awfully hard for me._ "As tempting as your offer is, I have to decline it. We'll ..." She drew in another deep breath, trying to ignore the waves of pleasure washing over her. She tried her best to not roll her hips against his hand. She knew that if she did that, she wouldn't be able to resist him. "We'll do this again some other time."

He reluctantly withdrew his fingers from her and gave her a lopsided grin. "Whatever the lady desires ... I'll keep you to your promise." With that he got out of bed and stepped into the bathroom.

Seconds after he had turned the shower on, Temperance heard someone knock on her door. After having cast a final glance at the closed bathroom door, she jumped out of bed to rush to the front door. She pulled it open and breathlessly said to the person standing in front of her: "I can't thank you enough for this."

---°---

After she had taken a shower and had put on her clothes, she sat down next to Booth on the couch in the living room. She drew her legs under her and leaned her elbow on the back of the couch. They stared at each other, soft smiles playing around their lips, as they let the silence of the apartment and the intensity of the feelings shining from their eyes envelop them.

While enjoying the peacefulness of the moment and Booth sitting so close to her, bits and pieces of the dream she had had last night came back to her.

--° _Start dream sequence_ °--

"You're wrong. I _do_ fit in. I'm not afraid of my emotions anymore."

The skull snorted. "Of course you are. You're afraid of letting someone in."

"I am not." she calmly answered.

"You're afraid of letting someone know he means the world to you."

"I am not."

The skull snorted again. "You're afraid of saying 'I love you'."

A mysterious smile appeared on her face. "We'll see … We'll see …"

--° _End dream sequence_ °--

Last night she had stood up to the talking skull in her dream. She knew for certain that it would never return again. Her subconscious had been put to rest. Whatever had been bothering her, she had dealt with it. Temperance broke the eye contact for a moment to gather her thoughts. Then she rolled her head to the side so that it was resting on the back of the couch and locked eyes with Booth again. Booth felt his stomach tighten when he saw the array of emotions play over her face. _It doesn't matter that she can't say it back. Her eyes, her gestures, the tone of her voice … They say enough. I know she loves me. That's all I need._

He reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. His fingertips trailed down her cheek before cupping half of her face with one hand. His thumb slid over the soft curves of her lips. He couldn't help but feel proud. The hard lines in her face had softened. She smiled more often. The distant look in her eyes had been chased away. _And I'm the one who did all of that._

He withdrew his hand when he prepared to ask her again why she had been so giddy when they had woken up but she spoke before he even had a chance to open his mouth.

"How's your head?" she softly said.

Booth reached up to touch the back of his head. He grimaced. "Got one nasty bump, which is still sore."

Temperance chuckled. Booth's head shot up. _Did she just chuckle?_ He shook his head. _Never mind, just go with the flow._

She couldn't help but laugh as she remembered what had happened the evening before at the drive-in. They had been fumbling with each other's clothes, 'fooling around' as Booth called it, for half an hour when all of a sudden a bright light had illuminated the inside of the car, startling both of them. In his hurry to get off of her he had bumped his head pretty hard against the ceiling of the car. Later it had turned out to be a security guard of the drive-in who was looking for two young vandals who were terrorizing the couples sitting in their cars. The guard had profusely apologized for interrupting them. Twenty minutes later, just when they were really getting back into their 'fooling around', the young vandals in question had dared to disturb them. Booth had jumped out of the car to catch the two little rascals who couldn't have been no more then ten years old. Temperance let out another chuckle at the memory of Booth dragging the two boys by their ears to the security post of the drive-in. The guard had thanked him and had handed over a pass for a free night out at the drive-in. _Maybe next time we can get to some serious fooling around._

"So, what do you want to do today?" Booth asked.

Temperance hooked her finger behind the collar of his shirt to pull him closer. "I was thinking about staying home." she answered, her warm breath running over his face.

He shot her his trademark smile. "My thoughts exactly." he answered back before pulling her onto his lap so he could kiss her properly.

---°---

"Tell me again why we're here?"

"Booth, shut up. You're wining like a five year old again." She reprimanded him, then turned towards the girl standing behind a high table with a big book lying on top of it. "I called last night to make a reservation."

"Under what name, please?"

"Brennan."

"Right, a table for two in a corner with candle light. Follow me, please."

Booth stared at her. "Candle light?" he silently mouthed at her. She rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand to drag him along. Booth didn't know what to think anymore. All day long Temperance had been behaving out of character. The tickling, the chuckling, ... and now her request to take him out to a restaurant. That was one more thing that didn't fit with her usual behaviour. The whole candle-light business was also very un-Brennan-like. _Maybe she has hit her head and doesn't remember that I'm supposed to be the romantic one._

"Stop looking at me like I'm an alien, Booth. Just enjoy my alpha female tendencies." Temperance ordered.

"Yes ma'am." he shot back, refraining from saluting her like a soldier because that would just look plainly ridiculous in such a fancy place.

---°---

He scraped the last bits of dessert from his plate and leaned back satisfied.

"That was absolutely delicious."

Temperance nodded in agreement. She gazed at him while hearing him compliment whoever had prepared their meal and then her for choosing out this restaurant. After a minute he shut up. He narrowed his eyes. _She's not listening to me._

He reached over the table to lace his fingers through hers. "Why have you taken me here, Temperance?"

Temperance nervously bit her bottom lip. Now came the hardest part of her plan. She freed her hand from his to take something out of her bag. _It's now or never._ After having glanced one final time at the object she kept hidden from view, she decisively nodded her head. _Time for a leap of faith._ While staring into Booth's eyes she slid the object across the table. Booth looked at it incredulously.

"Is this your newest book?"

She nodded. "It's the first copy."

Booth hesitantly flipped it open. He nearly stopped breathing. He took a quick glance at the serene looking woman sitting at the other side of the table.

"Do you mean this?"

"Every single word."

He looked back down, gulping the lump in his throat away. "I must be the happiest man alive." He got up and walked around the table to give her a toe-curling kiss that made several heads in the restaurant turn. He let his forehead rest on hers after they pulled apart. "Correction, I must be the happiest and _luckiest_ man alive." he whispered.

On the table was lying a copy of Brennan's latest published book of which the first page read:

**Dedicated to Special Agent Seeley Booth - my partner, my friend, the love of my life.  
I'll always love you.**

* * *

Just in case you didn't figure it out: Brennan called her publisher in the previous chapter to ask her to change the dedication page and drop the first copy of the book off at her apartment at 11 o'clock. :-) 


	23. Week 4: Monday

Author's note: We've made it to the fourth week people! You're probably asking yourself what there is to write about now that all the major loose ends have been tied up. The answer is very simple … BB-FLUFF:-D And a couple of new story lines of course ...

For my reviewers: Ok, there seems to be _a lot _of confusion concerning this little section I write at the beginning of every chapter. In 'For my reviewers' I thank the people who have found the time to review my chapter. :-) Comprende? Good! Onto my thank you's for chapter 22 then ... Bellabun, Addictt, Halfpastdead001, I hart Booth, boneswhisper, canadianagurl, xSomeHeartsx, YouAndMe Kelly, krisnina77, EternalConfusion, Egyptianautumn, squinter, bb-4ever, Shortymae, sarie-belle and jaed621 - YOU GUYS ROCK:-)

Disclaimer: _Bones_ isn't mine. There, I admitted it! Happy now?!

**- Week 4: Monday -  
--------------------------------**

Booth exited the elevator on the sixth floor feeling better then ever. With every step he took, his mind kept shouting _She loves me!_ He felt so damn happy that he nearly _skipped_ down the hall to the coffee-machine.

He had known she loved him; or at least had suspected it. Her body language had given her away. Booth often had trouble keeping up with her when it came to scientific and logic reasoning but he was an expert when it concerned her body language! He could read her like an open book. Temperance usually tried to cover up her emotions by taking on a neutral stance or by putting a blank expression on her face but he always discovered the minor slip-ups in her demeanour. His eyes always caught her slightly stiff movements when her muscles were tense from feeling strong emotions. She couldn't hide the very small sparkle of amusement in the corner of her eye when they were bickering, nor could she hide the tremble of her lips when he flashed her his charm smile. No matter how hard his partner wanted to neutralize her body language, he always discovered the flaws.

And now, to his big surprise, Temperance had chosen to let her body react on her feelings. And not just her body but also her mind! He caught himself humming 'Love is in the air' while he was waiting for his coffee. Booth thought he had been happy before - with Rebecca, Tessa, ... all the other women he thought he had loved - but it wasn't until Temperance had come along that he had fully understood the meaning of true love.

Loving someone meant wanting to give everything up for their well-being, for their happiness. Even if it meant dying in their place or walking away without looking back. He sat down in his office chair with a mug of steaming hot coffee. He studied the book lying before him. _Even if it meant you had to change drastically._ He let his fingers run over the cover of the book. Temperance had abandoned the safety of her cocoon to be with him. Of all the men she had met, she had chosen _him_ to change for. He couldn't help but feel proud, partly because he had found a way to get the used-to-be-cold scientist to open up but mostly because she had claimed him as "her one". Who wouldn't feel proud of that?

He flipped the book open to re-read the dedication page. Grinning wickedly he shook his head. _I have to hand it to her; when she's made up her mind, she sure as hell doesn't hesitate to use the big guns to inform everyone._

Just then one of his co-workers knocked on the doorframe. Booth quickly shut the book and lifted his head up.

"Yeah Max, what's up?"

"Cullen wants to see you."

---°---

"Why is Agent Booth carrying a book?"

Angela and Hodgins turned their heads in surprise to look at Zach who had been studying a leg bone just a few moments ago but was now staring at the entrance door of the lab. They turned around and joined Zach in his staring at the FBI agent. Booth hopped up the stairs, swiping his card through the scanner in with a elegant wave of his hand. Grinning broadly, he stopped at the examination table where the three members of the squint squad were standing. He beamed a smile at each one of them before clearing his throat.

"So how are you guys?" he asked, tapping the book and folder he was carrying against the side of his leg.

Zach kept his gaze on the book, Hodgins was hungrily eyeing the folder and Angela was staring at Booth's face with narrowed eyes.

"Where did you get that book?"

"Do we have a new case?"

"You had sex!"

Booth pinched his nose bridge to regain his calm. "Right, sorry I asked." he sighed. "The book's none of your business." he answered, sending Zach a pointed glare. He turned to Hodgins. "Yes, we have a new case. That's why I'm here." Next was Angela. "Of course I had sex, Angela. What else did you think me and Bones could've done on a Sunday night?"

The person he had just mentioned happened to walk by right after he had finished his sentence. His entire face lit up. In his hurry to get to her he dropped the book and case file onto the examination table.

"Hey Bones! Wait up!" he yelled, jogging after her.

The three scientists all stared at the objects lying on the table. In a blink of an eye three pair of hands shot out but only one pair got hold of the book and snagged it away.

"This is mine now." the artist said satisfied.

---°---

"Hey Bones." he said as he came up next to her. He shoved his hands in his pockets and gave her his charm smile.

"Hey Booth." Temperance answered, not looking up from the papers she was reading.

"So, long time no see."

Temperance laughed a little but still kept her eyes cast downwards. "You've seen me this morning, Booth."

"Like I said, long time no see." he grinned.

They walked on, instinctively choosing the path to Brennan's office. Not a word was said as Temperance kept reading and Booth kept watching her. Then he nudged her.

"What'cha doing, Bones?"

"Reading."

"Well, will you stop doing that for a second and look at me, please? Or ain't I sexy enough to look at?" he joked.

Her head as well as her eyebrows shot up. "Booth, we're at the lab. I'm working, which you should be doing as well."

"I am working."

"Oh yes, you're _definitely _working - flirting with me and skipping around. Maybe you should rest for a while, before you overwork yourself."

"Sarcasm really isn't your thing, Bones. I like it more when you're all seductive ..." To underline his words, he let his smouldering eyes travel over her posture like he was mentally undressing her until she was wearing nothing more except the lace underwear he loved. "… willing …" He locked eyes with her. He knew he'd gotten to her when she stopped dead in her tracks. "… alpha female-ish …" He reached out to cup half her face and trail his thumb over her full lips.

The force with which she pushed him against the wall after she had glanced around surprised him. Temperance slammed her body against his and crushed his lips in a fierce kiss. Her hands slid up his chest to take a firm hold of his collar while she shoved her tongue down his throat. Completely taken aback by her sudden luscious attack, he could do nothing more then welcome her invasion of his mouth. Just as sudden as she had pinned him against the wall, she backed away again.

"You shouldn't say such things when we're at the lab." Temperance reprimanded him while straightening her lab coat. "It makes me want to have my way with you right here and right now."

He gawked at her before breaking into a large grin. "Oh then I'm _definitely_ going to say more of those things!"

Temperance rolled her eyes but smiled nonetheless. She was rather enjoying this continuous state or arousal whenever her partner was around. Bending down to pick up the papers she had dropped during the temporarily absence of logic reasoning, she asked him what he was really doing at the lab.

"Like I said: I'm working. We've got a new case, Bones!"

Her eyes lit up with excitement. "Where's the file?" she eagerly asked.

He cursed. "Forgot it on the platform. Just give me a second to get it."

Booth jogged away towards the platform. Temperance followed him but in a slower pace. She was concentrating again on the papers in her hands when all of a sudden her head snapped up at the sound of a loud "Where the hell is my book?!" resonating through the entire lab.

---°---

"Oh sweetie, I'm so proud of you!" Angela exclaimed as Booth and Brennan entered the artist's office. She rushed towards her best friend and grabbed Tempe's hands. "You didn't just say the words, _you wrote them down_! For the whole world to see!"

Temperance smiled. "I think the world already knew that Booth and I are a couple."

The memory of the articles published by Tim Saunders popped up in everyone's head.

"But this is different, Bren. This time it's _you_ who has chosen to write it down. You can't believe how _proud_ I am!"

Temperance gently untangled her hands. "That's wonderful, Ange but could you give Booth his book back now, please?"

Judging by the look on the artist's face, she hadn't noticed Booth entering the office behind his partner. The FBI agent was looming around behind Temperance, glaring at Hodgins and Zach who were hunched over _his_ book. With two big steps he was with them.

"That's mine." he scowled while snagging the book from their hands. "Touch it again and I'm pulling out my gun."

Hodgins threw up his hands in surrender; Zach took a step backwards at hearing the thread. Booth's mood seemed to lighten up the moment he had the book back in his possession.

"Right, Bones. I'll be back in an hour with the remains."

"Wait, shouldn't I go with you to the crime scene?"

"No need to. I'm bringing it to you." Her eyebrows shot up. "The crime scene is a gym bag."

---°---

The water splashed gently against the sides of the bath when Temperance lowered herself down in the hot water. She closed her eyes and let the sweet scent of lavender soap, the caress of warm water and the soft sounds of bursting soap bubbles tingle her senses. After five minutes she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Even without opening her eyes, she knew what - or better _who_ - was causing that.

"Are you going to stand there all night or are you going to join me?" she smiled.

A low chuckle rolled through the room, quickly followed by the sounds of clothes being tossed onto the floor. Temperance opened her eyes and shifted a bit around so that Booth could step into the bath and sit down behind her. With a content sigh she leant back against his chest and let his arms encircle her. They sat there, comfortably resting against each other in the warm soapy water, with their eyes closed - enjoying the peace and calm after a hard day of work.

"Female, 20 to 25 years old. She played tennis and used to dance. Her skull was smashed into pieces with a blunt object."

"Bones, now is nor the time nor the place to discuss the case. Tomorrow there'll be another day." Booth said in a low voice. "Just enjoy the silence."

He ran his fingers up and down her arms to get her to relax some more. Tempe's hands disappeared underwater so she could caress his thighs. With a grunt he pulled her closer. He leaned down and pressed his lips against the back of her neck, slowly licking and nibbling his way to her earlobe where he stopped to suck on the little piece of flesh. Temperance softly moaned and pressed her hips back against him. She turned around to kiss him. Within seconds their tongues were furiously exploring each other's mouths. Eventually Booth pulled away.

"You know Bones, I've been meaning to ask you something important."

Temperance dipped her head to trail a path of hot kisses from his jaw bone, over his neck and collar bone towards his shoulder. "Hmmm" she hummed against his skin.

"We've been spending a lot of time at each other's places. Well honestly, I've been more at your place then at my own."

"Hmhm" she once again hummed, this time grazing the sensitive skin at the beginning of his neck with her teeth.

"So maybe it would be more convenient for me to move in with you."

Temperance licked her way up to his face where she placed tender kisses on his chin, cheeks, nose, forehead and, finally, his mouth. "Ok." she simply said while looking him deep in the eye.

Booth froze. With his mouth slightly ajar, he exclaimed "Ok? You're ok with it?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" she shrugged. "It's the next logical step in our relationship."

"I was afraid you wouldn't be ready yet." He thoughtfully studied her face for a moment. "Are you sure you want this, Temperance? You don't have to do it for me, you know."

"I want you to move in, Booth."

"Because you've spent most of your life alone. It could be quite awkward for you to have me around." Booth rambled on.

Temperance grabbed his face. "Seeley, I want you to move in with me." She softly laughed before placing a quick peck on his lips. "You're forgetting that I have a very steep learning curve. I'll learn along the way what it's like to have you around 24/7, not that that would be any different from how it is now."

While she was talking, Booth pulled her bent legs over his thighs, inching her hips towards his. He sent her a sensual smile which made her lower body tingle with anticipation. "Yes Bones, you still have so much to learn."

She raised her eyebrows and smiled back at him, a light of desire playing in her eyes. "Oh really? Like what?"

He took a firm hold of her hips and inched her even closer. "Like when I'm around, always be ready."

And with that he plunged deep into a more then ready Temperance.


	24. Week 4: Tuesday

Author's note: I had some trouble with this chapter and then I'm not talking about the whole 'We are currently experiencing heavier than expected traffic'-crap. I always search for a nice mix of an interesting story line and some pure BB-sweetness. Now I had trouble finding both but it turned out well in the end; at least I hope it did. :-) Don't hesitate to tell me which bits you liked and which bits you absolutely hated!

Dedication: I dedicate this chapter to _Addictt_. Happy birthday, girl :-D

For my reviewers: As always, a couple of thank you's to my dear reviewers. Thank you _squinter, bb-4ever, Howdylynn, EternalConfusion, Egyptianautumn, mereva, Bellabun, bandbfan24, I hart Booth, krisnina77, YouAndMe Kelly, canadianagurl _and_ Addict_.

Disclaimer: If I owned _Bones _and its characters, I wouldn't just sit here to post my chapter. I'd run around like a fool, shouting: "Booth is mine, hahaha!" lol

**- Week 4: Tuesday -  
----------------------------------------**

A heart-broken woman with tears streaming down her face closed the door behind Booth and Brennan, leaving them to stand in the blistering heat on a short stone-paved path that led to the street. Temperance slid her hands into her pockets and stared at the door while Booth shook his head.

"Being the bringer of bad news is something I'll never get used to." he mumbled. "Especially not when I have to ask dozens of questions at the same time." He placed his hand on Brennan's arm to usher her a bit forward. "Let's go, Bones. We've got one more house to do."

Temperance followed him, still a bit shocked from the last meeting. She had often accompanied Booth to the parents whose son or daughter had died and was lying on her table for closer examination. But this time it had been different. For one of the first times she had unconsciously shown the right emotions and had said the right things without any help from her partner. The mother of the murdered girl in the gym bag had thrown herself against Brennan when the anthropologist had placed a soothing hand on her shoulder. Temperance still felt the tears dripping onto her clothes. She shook her head to shake the uncomfortable feeling of sadness and followed Booth to the SUV. _I didn't distance myself this time. That's why it was different._ Temperance once again noted how strong the grip was that emotions had on human beings. She glanced at her partner walking beside her. _Good thing I've got him to keep me from drowning._

They both climbed silently into the car. Letting out a deep sigh, Booth turned the ignition key. The SUV came to life with a loud roar.

"Right." he breathed as he put his sunglasses on. "Onto the boy's family then."

---°---

They pulled up at a large Victorian house with a red roof and a huge garden filled with plants, flowers and trees. There even was a pond surrounded by weeping willows.

"Nice place." he whistled.

Temperance rolled her eyes and got out of the SUV.

"What?" Booth called after her. "It _is_ nice! Wouldn't you like to live in such a house?"

Temperance shrugged and crossed the lawn to reach the front door with Booth one step behind her. A tall stern-looking woman opened the door when Booth rung the bell.

"Yes?" she questioned, sending a piercing glare at them.

"Misses Hovrey? Special Agent Seeley Booth and Dr. Temperance Brennan, my partner. We're here to ask your son a couple of questions about the death of Gloria McLennan." Booth introduced them, briefly flashing his badge at the woman and pointing at his partner afterwards.

"My son hasn't come home since he found out about her murder."

"I see. Could we ask _you _a couple of questions then, Misses Hovrey?" Booth continued.

"It's Miss Hovrey. I never married Jacob's father. And yes, I suppose you could ask me one or two questions."

Booth and Brennan stared at her, waiting for her to move out of the doorway so that they could enter the house. Miss Hovrey, however, did not move a muscle.

Booth cleared his throat. "Could we come in, Miss Hovrey?"

The stern-looking lady raised one eyebrow at what she considered to be a rude question. Temperance gave her a stern look back.

"Or do you want us to do this in broad daylight, on your doorstep, for the whole neighbourhood to see?" the anthropologist asked.

This seemed to convince Miss Hovrey to allow them to enter. With stiff movements she withdrew herself from the doorway and went inside the house, leaving Booth and Brennan to follow her.

They entered a huge hallway with a staircase on the left and a large door next to it. Miss Hovrey disappeared through that door into a tastefully decorated living room. In the living room they could see right into a modern kitchen. On the walls were hanging paintings and here and there were standing small artefacts. Everything breathed out wealth. Even the fluffy pillows on the couch looked expensive.

Shoving his hands in his pockets, Booth slowly turned around and whistled again. "Nice place you've got here, Miss Hovrey. Don't you agree, Bones?"

Temperance simply rolled her eyes and scoffed "And then you say I'm the blunt one with bad timing."

"Large rooms with lots of lighting. A large yard, perfect for a couple of kids. A modern kitchen to cook healthy meals. And I'm sure upstairs are a couple of huge bedrooms. This house just screams out 'family', if you know what I mean."

"Booth." Temperance shoved her elbow against his ribs to silence him.

"I'm just saying that this place could fit an entire family. It must've cost a fortune. And yet we find Miss Hovrey, a single mother of one son, living here."

"Jacob's father paid me generously to leave him. And as for Jacob being my only son, I never wanted to get pregnant again. Men are bastards. They leave you to take care single-handedly of a baby." the tall woman shot back, her eyes blazing with anger. She gave Booth a dirty look and then disappeared into the kitchen.

"Booth, you're being insensitive!"

"Bones, I'm not. That woman stinks. She's got something to hide and the only way to find it out is to provoke her until she spills the truth."

Suddenly a sharp noise broke them apart. Booth grabbed his mobile phone to take a look at the caller ID. "Fine Bones." he sighed. "If you think she'll spill her beans if you're nice to her then be my guest. Question her while I take this call." Booth said to his partner while moving out of the living room towards the large staircase.

Temperance glared at him before making her way to the kitchen. _He can be such an irritating man sometimes!_ _Can't he accept that I'm actually pretty good at reading people from time to time?_ Temperance entered the room to find Miss Hovrey making coffee.

"Were you and your son close?"

"Of course we were. We only had each other." the obviously annoyed woman snapped.

Temperance sighed. "Look, about my partner, he had no right to …"

"Yes! He had no right, indeed! Stupid ass … I'm surprised the FBI found him competent enough to let him become an agent!" Miss Hovrey spit out. "You poor woman for being stuck with him!"

Now it was Temperance who became annoyed. "Don't talk about my partner like that. And I'm just fine with him, thank you."

"I can say whatever I want, Miss Brennan. This is my house." she said proudly.

"It's _Dr_. Brennan." the anthropologist snapped back before turning around and walking away.

---°---

"Will you get off my back, please? I'll ask her, alright? Good. I'll call you back later."

With a sigh Booth ended the call and flipped his phone shut. Absentmindedly he went back to the living room where he bumped into a fuming Temperance.

"Miss Hovrey?" he guessed. He received a curt nod. "Told you the subtle approach wouldn't work."

"She's infuriating! I was tempted to follow my urges and slap her around."

Booth couldn't help but grin. "Well, I'll tell you what we're going to do. We're going to go back into that kitchen," He pointed at the door. "and we're going to question her ass off. And after that, I'll let you work your violent urges off on me."

Just the thought of doing that made her skin tingle with anticipation. A shiver ran down her spine and she could feel the excitement stirring in her stomach. _This is why I love to get frustrated._

"Works for me." Temperance agreed, a small glint dancing around in her eyes. She turned around again and went back to the kitchen.

Booth stared at her retreating form. His eyes slid over the curves of her shoulders, down her waist to her slightly swaying hips. "That definitely works for me." he muttered, already envisioning what he'd try with her later on. Then he glanced at the phone he was still holding. His desire faded a bit when he remembered his earlier conversation. He flicked his gaze back to his partner. _Damn it, how am I going to bring this up?_ Booth tiredly rubbed his face and decided to think about it later. Right now he had a stern-looking cold-hearted cow to grill.

---°---

A very disgruntled Miss Hovrey threw the door closed behind them. The contrast between this house and the last one they had visited was more then obvious. While Gloria's mother had cried her heart out and had told them everything they needed to know, Jacob's mother had been the spitting image of a fire-breathing dragon who refused to co-operate.

"Well, that was one tough lady. She gave us a rough time in there." Booth casually said.

"Infuriating piece of …" Temperance mumbled a curse.

"She sure pissed you off."

His partner ran a hand through her hair and gave him a half-crooked smile. "Is it that obvious?"

Booth put his arm around her shoulders to guide her to the SUV. "Nah, not at all." he joked. "The steam's just coming out of your ears."

Temperance nudged him, laughing a bit. Then she turned serious. "She challenged us in there, Booth."

"I know. She defied us." Booth answered as they reached the car.

They both turned back to cast one final look on the Victorian House. "Well, she picked the wrong team to mess with."

Booth squeezed her shoulder after having chuckled. "I like it when you say that." Temperance curiously studied his face. "Team. I like it when you call us a team."

She smiled. "Well, we are one, aren't we? And a pretty good one might I add." They got into the car where Temperance placed her hand on Booth's thigh and leaned in close. "Now be a good team member and take me somewhere to get this frustration out of my system." she said in a husky tone.

Booth covered her hand with his own. With a voice full of longing he answered, "Wouldn't want to do anything else, partner."

---°---

He parked the car in the underground parking lot of Brennan's apartment building. With a move of his hand Booth killed the engine. Then he turned to his partner to take in the sight of her slightly parted lips, her blue eyes filled with need and her slightly irregular breathing. He reached out to trace the sharp lines of her jaw bone. Temperance tilted her head to the right side to feel his hand on her entire cheek. Booth shifted around to bring his face closer to hers. He let his head hang a bit to the left. They stared at each other, enjoying the sizzling sexual tension that hung heavy between them. If looks could bring a person to the point of no return then they both would've cum right there and then.

Temperance licked her lips as her gaze flicked between his rapidly darkening eyes and his mouth. Not being able to maintain the distance between them, she leaned forward to capture his lips. Booth groaned and kissed her back hard. The sensation of his stubble scraping across her skin and of his warm lips devouring every inch of her mouth made her lose all sense of reality. Through a haze of sexual sparks surging through her lower abdomen and a dense fog of desire clouding her mind she managed to get a grip on his short brown hair and the collar of his shirt. Booth slid his tongue across her teeth, over the insides of her mouth to briefly touch her tongue every time he changed direction. His hands disappeared into her hair. The mind-blowing kiss continued for another minute before they broke apart, breathing heavily.

"Let's go to your apartment." he said in a hoarse voice.

She nodded. Booth turned around to get out of the car but was stopped by a hand on his upper arm. He gave her a questioning look. In a matter of seconds Temperance had launched herself forward to start another attack on his mouth. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him back to her side of the car.

"That's too far away." she panted, leaving his lips alone just long enough to utter those four words.

Having said that she once again leaned in to kiss him. They completely lost themselves in the heat and passion of the moment. For all they cared, a bomb could've gone off without them noticing. Suddenly Booth dragged his lips away.

"I couldn't agree with you more. Your place is too far away." he choked out.

In one swift move he rolled his chair back and pulled Temperance into his lap before he lowered his head to kiss all the naked skin he could get to. Temperance wove her fingers through his hair and arched into him. A deep throaty growl rolled over her lips. She still didn't understand how he could turn her on so easily and why she had kept him from doing so for such a long time but now she was determined to enjoy it as many times as she could. In her opinion they had a lot of catching up to do.

Booth popped the buttons of her shirt open so he could drag his lips over the sensitive skin of her breasts. She pulled his head up again for another searing kiss. Then she moved around until she was straddling his hips. Booth uttered a curse when she rubbed her lower body against his.

"Now that was a naughty word, Seeley." she teased.

"Well, we are doing naughty things here, Temperance."

He whimpered when she grinded her hips more forcefully against him. Temperance loosened his tie, pulled it over his head and flung it onto the back seat. Then she tore his shirt open, not paying any attention to the buttons flying everywhere or that it was one of Booth's most expensive shirts. She bit his neck as she rolled her hips again. Booth breathed heavily into her ear. He mumbled something about having the luck that she was wearing a skirt. His hot breath made her breast tighten and fuelled her desire. She reached down to undo his belt and zipper.

"Have you ever done this?" she asked him.

"Done what?" he said while tugging his trousers down with Temperance still on his lap.

"Having sex in a public place, in this car."

His underwear followed the same path as his trousers. "In this car? No, you're the first one." He slid his hands up her thighs under her skirt. "As for sex in public places, I've done that once." He flicked his tongue across her collar bone. "I felt dirty for weeks. I kept praying for God to forgive my sins."

Temperance reached under her skirt to push her underwear aside. "Really? Then I suggest you start praying now."

The car was filled with grunts and moans as she took him inside of her and started a back and forth motion. They held on tight to each other when their movements became more frantic and needing. Until at one point, they couldn't handle the pressure anymore. Thrusting one more time and emitting a deep groan, Booth pushed them both over the edge. And at that precise moment, Temperance did something he'd remember vividly for the rest of his life even if they brainwashed him, even if he lost his memory and even if he became one of those old men with Alzheimer who had lost all sense of reality.

She cried out she loved him.


	25. Week 4: Wednesday

Author's note: Just look at the length of this thing here … °gasps in awe° It's been a while since I've written such a long chapter! My creativity is back. :-) I hope you all enjoyed the first part of _The Postcard Series_! Without further ado, chapter 25 of LOTL! It contains my take on Parker which should be quite hilarious since I don't have a clue about four year olds. :-) If you guys could point out your favourite quotes (or favourite scenes - if you don't find a particularly good sentence) that would mean a lot to me.

For my reviewers: I've got _so_ many people to thank here! I'm still recovering from the shock of seeing all those reviews in my inbox! Thank you my dear _bb-4ever, EternalConfusion, squinter, bandbfan24, Bellabun, BonesDBchippie, Spuffyshipper, goldpiece, Bones4life, willgirl, Egyptianautumn, krisnina77, I hart Booth, Lady Elanya, phi4858, Addictt, saz89, angel6 _and_ Amasayda! _Oh yeah, happy b-day saz89:-)

Disclaimer: °impatiently taps her foot° I'm still waiting for the day Fox claims that _Bones_ isn't theirs but mine.

**- Week 4: Wednesday -  
----------------------------------------------**

Booth propped himself up on one elbow. _I can't believe how beautiful she is._ He cocked his head to the side and continued drinking in her beauty. _And she's mine._ Two fingers tiptoed up the sheets covering the sleeping woman lying beside him. Reaching the point where the covers ended and her skin started, he began a back and forth stroking motion across her collar bone and the nip of her neck. Temperance stirred. He smiled and tiptoed his way over her neck to her face where he playfully tapped her nose. Temperance yawned and cracked one eye open.

"Morning, beautiful." he softly said.

She mumbled something while stretching her arms out above her head. After she had yawned again, she turned her full attention on Booth.

"Hi." she finally said, propping herself up on one elbow as well and leaning her head on her hand.

"Did you sleep well?"

"The few hours I got with you around, yes."

"Good." he answered as he leaned in for a kiss. He put his hand behind her neck to steady her so that he could kiss her properly. Pulling slightly away, he mumbled against her mouth "Say it again, Bones."

"What?" she softly asked.

He briefly slid his mouth over her lips. "You know what."

With gleaming eyes and an amused smile she retorted, "Make me."

He grinned. "Consider that challenge accepted."

After having given her a passionate kiss he slid his mouth down her neck to her collar bone. His hands pushed the sheets down in the mean time. Temperance moaned when his mouth landed on her breasts. He stayed there long enough to torture the pink nipple on top of each creamy hill with his tongue. Her breath hitched in her throat with every shock of pleasure that he sent coursing through her veins. He moved further down her body, swiping his rough tongue over her skin and momentarily dipping it in her belly button. Her fingers found his hair at which she helplessly tugged.

Booth took this as his cue to retrace his steps until he was kissing her again. Somewhere in between gently biting down on her bottom lip and sucking her tongue into his mouth, he managed to slide between her thighs and running his thumb over her. A very low and animal-like growl rumbled in her throat. Booth smiled against her lips. _Never expected her to make those sounds._

She panted his name as he went back to swirling his tongue over her breasts and stomach. The tender stroking of his fingers was slowly but surely lifting her higher and higher. She vaguely realised what he was going to do but didn't expect the breath-taking explosion when he finally rained down small kisses on the most sensitive spot of her body. Gripping his hair again, she cried out in passion and let wave after wave wash over her until she was nothing more than a trembling but very satisfied woman.

---°---

"What time do we have to pick up Parker?"

"Around 9.30."

Temperance nervously bit her bottom lip. In just a few hours time she would have Parker around. She'd finally have to deal with all the motherly feelings that had been stirring around in her gut for a week. What if Booth wasn't right? What if Parker didn't like her? What if she did something to repulse him? She wasn't exactly the girl-next-door type that spent every free minute babysitting on the kids from the neighbourhood.

"Why do you want to know?" Booth added.

She shook her head. "No particular reason."

He studied her face for a second. _She's nervous._ He hadn't seen that side of her very often but he knew that when the nervousness reared its ugly head, his partner did stupid things. Like rambling on about every possible way you could break the bone of your big toe. Or like describing every detail about how flesh-eating bugs feasted on the flesh of a corpse. Nervous Bones would unintentionally freak out his son and that was something he couldn't allow to happen. _I have to distract her._

"We still got one hour before we have to get ready." he murmured. Temperance nodded but kept her stare on the ceiling. "You up for round two? Because I think I didn't quite meet the challenge last time."

She turned her head to look at him, a smile beginning to form on her face. "Yes, as a matter of fact, you didn't get me to say it."

"Let's have another go at it then." he answered back before descending his mouth on her body again to make her writhe in pleasure and scream out in ecstasy afterwards.

---°---

She was panicking. She obviously was judging the blank expression on her face, the crossed arms and her spine held stiffly straight. He placed a comforting hand on her lower back.

"You'll do fine, Bones. I know you will."

Temperance turned to look at him. Her face remained blank but he could see the small hint of uncertainty swimming in the depths of her eyes. He couldn't understand why some people called her cold. Sure he had once believed that as well but that was until he had caught on with her facial expressions. She wasn't the type of person who jumped up and down with excitement or burst out in crying over nothing. No, with Temperance it was all in the small things. A flick of her hand, a tensed muscle, a glint of emotion in her eyes, … He wondered why everyone thought his partner was insensitive while it was obvious she wasn't.

He put his hands on her face. "You'll do brilliant, Bones." he said again before leaning down to kiss her.

Temperance didn't know where to stay with her hands except somewhere on his body where she could feel the warmth of his skin. They slowly crept up his chest and around his neck so that her fingers could play with his hair.

"Mommy, why is daddy kissing her?"

The voice of a four year old asking his mother that innocent question was like a cold shower for them. Their eyes flew open and they slowly turned their faces, their mouths sliding apart in the process. He cleared his throat while glancing at Temperance's shocked expression.

"Hey, bud. Hey, Rebecca." Booth said with a sheepish smile. He slowly moved his hands down to Tempe's waist, a less compromising place than her face. _Making out at the front door, what was I thinking?!_

He should have known that Parker would open the door. He always did when he heard the large SUV pull up in the drive-way. But Booth hadn't been able to stop himself from seeking the warmth of her mouth. He had to steal one last kiss before they met up with Parker because, without a doubt, the young boy would continuously interrupt them for the rest of the day; just like he had done two minutes ago. He dared to steal a glance at Temperance's face. A strange mix of embarrassment, fear and anticipation was playing over her features.

Temperance let her hands slide down to her sides. She stared at the two people in the doorway. _What a perfect beginning of the day …_she sarcastically said in her mind. She greeted Rebecca and then settled her gaze on Parker, who was staring up at her.

"Hey, Parker." she softly articulated.

The effect was immediate. His cheeks reddened and his shoes suddenly became very interesting things to look at. Rebecca put a hand on his shoulder.

"Could he spend the night at your place, Seeley? I have to go out of town for work and I won't be back until tomorrow afternoon."

"Yeah sure, no problem."

Rebecca thanked him and went inside to retrieve the bag with Parker's things. The four year old was still staring at his shoes. Booth bent down to pick him up. He settled him on his side. With a smile he darted his eyes from his son to his partner and back. Temperance's discomfort was radiating from her in large waves. Was she thinking about running away? She didn't honestly think he would let her bail out on them? Or maybe she was still insecure about her spending the day with them. She had more than once mentioned that she didn't want to intrude on his precious time with his son. _Bones, if you only knew …_

He was about to inform her that he'd drag her along at her hairs if she'd so much as take a single step in the wrong direction but the blond-haired kid in his arms beat him to it.

"Daddy," he asked in a small voice. "Is Tempre … Tampere …"

"Tempe." his partner helped. Booth sent her a grateful smile.

Parker blushed again. "Daddy, is Tempe going with us to the zoo?"

"Yes I am, Parker." Both Booth-men turned in surprise to the anthropologist. Temperance shrugged. "I am, am I not?"

Booth flashed her a charm smile; a nervous smile tugged at Parker's lips. "Alright bud, let's get you in the car. I've already put your seat in." While he was talking, Booth had moved to the SUV with Temperance in tow. He put Parker in the car seat and was fiddling with the straps when Rebecca called him back to the front door. "You do this Bones. I'll go get his stuff." the FBI agent threw over his shoulder, already jogging back to the blonde woman in the doorway.

After staring at the child for a minute she came into action, picking up two ends and trying to click them together. Temperance furrowed her brow in concentration. _I can identify 6000 year old skeletons but not strap in a kid?_

Parker bit his bottom lip, trying to hold back his laughter as he watched the anthropologist fight with the car seat. "Daddy says you're smart."

"I am." she absentmindedly responded.

"But that clip doesn't fit there. You're trying to put a square block into a round hole."

Temperance stared at him. _Cheeky kid. Definitely Booth's son._

"Let me help you." Parker offered.

Thanks to Parker's help she had him securely strapped in by the time Booth returned to the car. He gave Temperance an admiring look as he got behind the steering wheel. "I didn't think you'd manage to do that, Bones. It took me a month before I could handle all those straps."

"Well, I had a little help, isn't that right Parker?" she said, smiling at the child in the back. The young boy returned her smile, grinning widely and with a light pink blush on his cheeks. He had clearly forgotten his earlier shy approach towards the anthropologist.

Booth reached out to squeeze her hand. He didn't say a word but Temperance knew he was telling her that she had done fine, just like he had predicted.

"Right, who's up for a day at the zoo?" he exclaimed while moving his hands to start the car. The cheering in the back was enough to make him chuckle and drive away.

---°---

"Remember where we're parked."

"I think you can hardly miss a large black SUV standing in between a pink Beetle and a bright yellow Mini Cooper." Temperance remarked with a hint of sarcasm.

"Lot C, number 112." he continued undisturbed. "Remember that one, Bones. You get Parker, I'll get our things."

"What things?" Confusion was written all over her face but Booth didn't pay any attention to it. He left her to unfasten Parker. "Right." she sighed.

Unfastening him went a lot faster than strapping him in. In no time she had loosened all the straps and had lifted the boy onto the ground. Booth emerged from the trunk of the car with a video camera in hand.

"Booth, _what_ is _that_?"

"It's a camera, Bones." he answered matter-of-factly. "Say cheese." With a flick of his wrist he flipped the camera into film-mode.

"That is something you say when they're taking your picture, not when they're taping you."

Booth shrugged but kept the hand with the camera steady to zoom in on Tempe's face. He then moved on to Parker who was staring wide-eyed at him. Next he began circling around them with large steps.

"Daddy what are you doing?" Parker laughed. Booth grinned back at his son and bent over to pick him up. He then pointed the camera at their faces.

"I am filming the people I love, bud." Booth retorted, quickly glancing at his son before turning his face back to the lens. "My name is Seeley Booth and this lil' fellow here is my son, Parker Booth. We are going to tape a day out with our favourite anthropologist" he briefly swayed the camera to the right to bring Brennan into the picture "to the zoo. Who's ready to have some fun?" he cheered. Parker joined him in the cheering, laughing loudly without holding back like only happy four year olds can do. "Alright, let's go then." He flipped the camera off and put Parker back down.

The boy grabbed his father's hand as they moved towards the entrance. Temperance had watched the whole scene with a smile playing around her lips. _They adore each other._ She felt a pang of loss at the realisation of what she had missed with her own father. _All those missed moments …I'll never get them back._ With a vehement shake of her head she tossed the thoughts back into a dark corner of her mind. _I'm not going to reminisce over the past while I'm here with Seeley and his son. I'm going to have fun._ she silently decided. _A fun day out with the man I love and a boy that adores me. I just have to make sure I don't screw things up._ Temperance sighed. _No pressure there …_

She walked on beside Parker who was holding onto his father's hand. The crowd at the entrance was unbelievably dense. Booth warned his son to not let go or they would lose each other between all those people. Parker nodded and took a firmer hold of Booth's hand while reaching up to clutch at Brennan's hand as well.

Temperance froze as she felt Parker's small hand slide into her own. Instinctively the young boy had searched her hand to make sure he wouldn't be alone just in case he lost his father. She drew in a deep breath. _There's a scientific explanation for this. _She glanced down at the boy. _There has to be._ Panic and maternal instinct fought for first place in her gut. When Parker shyly looked up at her the panic faded away, leaving a warm fuzzy feeling to take her over. She sent him an assuring smile and squeezed his hand.

Connected through the hands of a four year old, the two grown-ups made their way into the zoo along with dozens of other young couples with their children and grandparents with their grandchildren.

---°---

"Look daddy, nelephants!"

Booth ran a hand through the boy's ruffled curls. "Elephants, Parker."

Parker watched in awe how the large mammals strode by and picked up food with their trunks. Suddenly he let out an excited shriek. "Look daddy! A baby!"

From behind one of the legs of a large elephant a smaller version of the animal appeared. The baby elephant made soft typical elephant sounds while staying close to his mother. Booth had his camera up and running in no time. He moved it from the shy elephant to his son who was bobbing up and down with excitement. To his surprise he saw his partner kneel down. Then he smiled. _Kneeling down to be at eye-level with him. You have no idea what a psychological move that is, Bones._

Temperance pointed at the baby elephant. "Do you know how long he was inside his mommy before he was born?" Parker shook his head. "His mother carried him around for 22 months."

"That's a long time!"

She nodded. "Your mother could have two Parkers before that baby elephant would be born."

Now the four year old was even more fascinated by the small elephant pressing itself against its mother's leg. A frown appeared on the boy's face. "More Parkers …" he mumbled. He turned around to his father who was still filming him. "Daddy, when will there be another Parker?"

Booth nearly dropped the camera. "I erm …" He glanced at his partner who seemed to have frozen to the spot, still leaning on one knee beside his son. "I don't know, bud." He put the camera away and faced Parker again with a broad smile. "Let's go see the koalas."

Parker forgot to whole subject as soon as he heard the words koala. The same couldn't be said for Temperance. She slowly rose to her feet, avoiding Booth's apologetic smile. _Having children, another subject I'd like to avoid today._

"Come on, daddy! Come on, Tempe! Koalas!" Parker shouted, unconsciously chasing away Brennan's unwanted thoughts. She straightened her shoulders and took off after the two Booth-men who were already in deep conversation about whether the koalas were real bears like Yogi and Boo-Boo or not.

---°---

Temperance's feet were beginning to hurt. They had already visited nearly every single animal in the zoo. They had seen the giraffes, the seals (which Parker referred to as 'the seeleys' which had made her laugh uncontrollably hard), the rhinos, the lamas, the penguins and finally, the dolphins. Temperance had surprised Parker with a detail about everything they had seen. To her own surprise she didn't mind sharing facts with the four year old. She had even managed to put everything in simple words.

Booth had of course been filming the whole thing. Everything on his tape proved that Temperance was capable of being a mother. Throughout the entire day he had watched Parker go from shy and quite distant to warm and affectionate towards his partner. With every new animal they came across, his son took one step closer to the anthropologist. That was until they had visited the snakes and other reptiles. Parker had been amazed by that fact that Temperance wasn't appalled by the creatures. Without hesitation he had tugged at Brennan's shirt to ask her to tell him something about baby snakes. Temperance had told him all about how baby snakes were born while ruffling the boy's hair up. The whole scene had been unbelievably adoring. _And I have it all on tape!_ Booth thought satisfied.

"Look Tempe, monkeys!" Parker exclaimed. He grabbed Brennan's hand to drag her along.

They came to a stop in front of a large cage with two monkeys inside. "These are chimps, Parker. They show the most resemblance with human beings. That one over there looks a lot like your daddy, come to think of it."

Booth grumbled. "Thanks a lot, Bones. Thanks for comparing me with a chimp."

"You once did the exact same thing with me. I looked like King Kong, remember?"

"Touché."

In the mean time Parker was furiously hopping up and down, trying to get a glimpse of the chimps. The cage was build one meter above ground level so he couldn't really take a good look. Temperance bent down to pick Parker up.

Settling him on her hip, she said "Look over there Parker. I bet that lady takes care of the monkeys."

The lady in question made her way over to the threesome. "Hi, I'm Becky. Like you said, I take care of these fellows here. The left one's called Marty. The right one is his mate, Maggie. We're trying to get them to make a baby."

"Like the elephants!" Parker happily said.

"Would you like to give Marty a banana?" Becky offered.

The boy nodded his head enthusiastically. Becky handed him a banana that Parker carefully stuck through the bars. Marty the monkey quickly jumped forward and snagged the fruit away from Parker. Just before Parker had gotten the banana, Temperance had motioned Booth to take his camera and tape this moment but the FBI agent had already had the device out. He had secretly been filming the whole exchange between his son and his partner.

"Can daddy give a banana as well?" Parker asked. Becky nodded and gave Booth the requested piece of fruit. He handed the camera over to Temperance before taking the banana and approaching the cage.

Maggie the monkey immediately came forward. Before Booth knew it, the female monkey had stuck her hairy hand through the bars to tug at his clothes. She gave him an adoring look as she pursed her lips, as if she was asking for a kiss. Booth's mouth fell open. He gave first the monkey and then his son and girl a bewildered stare.

"Looks like Maggie likes you." Becky stated.

Marty was extremely disgruntled because of Maggie's attention for the FBI agent. Emitting an angry shriek he threw the banana he had been munching on through the bars, flinging it at Booth's head. The half eaten banana hit Booth square in the eye with a faint 'splat'-sound.

Temperance had trouble controlling her laughter. As for Parker, he was giggling madly at the sight of his father being attacked by a monkey.

"Looks like Marty doesn't." Temperance said, pointing the camera straight at her partner who was wiping the banana out of his eye while muttering something under his breath. "Angela is going to love this."

Booth's head shot up. "Please tell me you didn't …" He grunted at the lens that was pointed at him. "The squints are going to feast on this one."

---°---

"You have to admit that Marty throwing a banana at you was a nice display of alpha male tendencies."

"Bones …" Booth warned as he sat down at a table of the only diner the zoo counted. "I don't want to hear another word about that monkey."

"Alright alright." she shushed him. "I'll shut up about the monkey." _Just wait until I get this tape to Angela. Whatever Angela says or does, isn't my fault, right?_

A waitress came by to take their order. They all said what they wanted to eat and then continued their animated discussion on what they had seen today. Booth noted with pride that his son was dividing his attention equally between his father and Temperance. _Way to go, Parker. Bones won't be able to tear herself away from you by the end of the day. _The waitress soon came back with their drinks. Parker was telling them about the rhino that he claimed had winked at him for the hundredth time when he, all of a sudden, spilled his drink all over the table and on his clothes.

Booth shot up right. "Bones, go get some napkins to clean up this mess please."

Temperance immediately left on the search of said napkins. Booth lifted his son from the chair and away from the table to make sure the orange juice spilled on the plastic surface wouldn't drip onto his son's clothes and make them even dirtier. Temperance rapidly returned with about five napkins. Booth devoted himself to the task of dabbing the yellow wet spots on Parker's T-shirt while Temperance cleaned up the mess on the table.

"I had a great day, daddy." Parker suddenly blurted out.

Booth looked up with a smile on his face. "Really, bud?"

Parker nodded. "I'm glad Tempe came with us. She's nice."

Booth stole a glance at Temperance who was attempting to get rid of the huge pool of orange juice with only three napkins. It didn't seem like she was listening to their conversation.

"She is, isn't she?" Booth agreed.

Parker leaned forward and said in a hushed voice, "She's pretty, daddy."

He couldn't help but grin. "She is, isn't she?"

He dared to glance up again at his blushing partner who was now swiping the napkins over the table with such vigour that the orange juice nearly splattered against the nearby wall. Apparently she had heard Parker's whispered words. Booth rose to his feet and put Parker back on his chair.

"She is _very_ pretty, Parker." he said decisively. "In fact, she's one of the prettiest women I've ever seen." His words made the blush on her cheeks turn a shade darker.

Parker giggled and nudged Temperance. "I think daddy likes you." he whispered loudly. This made Temperance blush even more.

Booth laughed. "Where is the camera when you need one? _This_ was something Angela would've loved to see!"

---°---

A freshly-washed Parker in his pyjama's padded into the living room. Nervously biting his bottom lip he came to a halt at the couch where Booth and Brennan were sitting on.

"You ready for bed, bud?" Parker nodded his head but kept his gaze fixed on Temperance. "Let's get you tucked in then."

"Daddy …" Parker hesitated for a moment. "Can you and Tempe read me a story?"

"Erm, I don't …"

"Sure, Parker." a smiling Temperance intervened.

"Are you sure about this?" Booth whispered.

"I have to learn the read-him-a-story-give-him-a-kiss-goodnight routine someday, Seeley." she whispered back before standing up and following Parker to his room.

Booth smiled. _That's my girl._

---°---

"That's very far, thought Little Nutbrown Hare. He was almost too sleepy to think any more. Then he looked beyond the thorn bushes, out into the big dark night. Nothing could be further than the sky. 'I love you right up to the moon!' Little Nutbrown Hare said and closed his eyes." Temperance read.

" 'Oh, that's far,' said Big Nutbrown Hare. 'That is very, very far.' Big Nutbrown Hare settled Little Nutbrown Hare into his bed of leaves. He leaned over and kissed him good night. Then he lay down close by and whispered with a smile, "I love you right up to the moon - and back!" ' Booth finished and closed the book.

Parker was lying in his bed with a satisfied smile. "Thank you for reading my favourite book daddy and Tempe."

Booth bent down to place a kiss on Parker's forehead. "My pleasure, bud."

The four year old quickly scrambled onto his knees to give his father a hug. Then, to everyone's surprise he turned to the anthropologist to smother her in a hug as well. Temperance hesitantly returned the affection. She did even more; she pressed a tender kiss on the boy's curls. Booth felt a tug at his heart. _And she says she can't be a good mother …_

"Night night, Parker." Temperance whispered after she and Booth had put Parker back under the covers. The boy smiled at them one final time before rolling onto his side and closing his eyes.

---°---

"You did wonderful, Bones. Just like I predicted."

Temperance slid under the sheets next to Booth. "Don't act so smug, Booth. We're lucky that Parker didn't notice how uneasy I am around children."

"I told you that he adores you. You could've talked him to death about ancient mummies and he still would've liked you." Booth said while taking her into his arms.

Temperance wrapped her arms around his waist and placed her head on his chest. "He's an affectionate kid." she mumbled.

"He sure is." Booth agreed. "Talking about affection, what about my kiss goodnight?"

"Knowing you, we're not just talking about a kiss."

"Damn right." Booth shot back before flipping her onto her back and kissing her senseless.

After a minute or two, Temperance pushed him back. "Seeley, we can't. Parker is sleeping down the hall."

"Of course we can. You just have to be quiet. That means no purring sounds."

"I do _not_ purr!" Temperance huffed.

"Sure you do." He kissed her so thoroughly that Brennan couldn't suppress a growl from rolling over her lips. Booth pulled back smiling broadly. "See, I told you. You purr."

Temperance rolled her eyes. "Fine, so maybe I do. I'll keep things quiet in the future."

"Like hell you are! You have no idea how much it turns me on to hear you moan and grunt."

The playfulness disappeared from her eyes and was replaced with a sensual fiery glint. "Really? Why don't you make me then?"

Booth chuckled before leaning down once again to capture her lips. "Ah, another challenge I'm more than happy to accept!"


	26. Week 4: Thursday

Author's note: About this chapter … Hmm, it's quite different from what I'm used to writing. There's an awful lot of conversation instead of inner thoughts. Hope you don't mind. :-) _I hart Booth_, remember your request? °grins excitedly as she nods at her computer screen° They're back! And I'm planning on bringing them back in another chapter.

For my reviewers: Oh dear, just look at all those reviews! You people are just too nice! Thank you _Amasayda, Bellabun, NakedQuidditchFan, krisnina77, bb-4ever, EternalConfusion _(thanks for beta-ing!)_, Spuffyshipper (_interesting time line ... Too bad mine's a bit different :-))_, I hart Booth _(hope you like how I worked in your request)_, Egyptianautumn, goldpiece, jaed621, saz89, jess.stretch, Addictt, canadianagurl, squinter, ShortyMae, Lady Elanya, moonofmathmaticalwisdom, pagan-_seijou (lol no, that conversation will have to wait :-P)_, maricejayo, HolidayArmadillo _and _angel6!_

Disclaimer: Still waiting for the day the world admits _Bones_ was created by me ...

**- Week 4: Thursday -  
-----------------------------------------**

The door of the bedroom silently swung open until there was enough room for the blond-haired four year old to take a peek at the inside. His eyes scanned the room. No visible movement. As silently as possible he squirmed through the opening and made a mad dash for the foot of the bed where he got down on all fours. He pricked up his ears to catch the possible sounds of grown-ups waking up. All he heard was soft snoring and his own rapid breathing. Slowly he lifted his head until he could peek right over the edge of the bed. Two large bumps in the bed cradled close to each other were all he saw. Still no visible movement. He brought his head back down and slowly crept around the bed until he nearly bumped his head into the nightstand. After another minute of intense listening, Parker decided to take another look. He raised his head again and was met by the sight of a soft snoring Temperance with her hair sprawled out over the cushion. She was clutching at his father's arm that was draped across her stomach.

_Wrong side of the bed. _He ducked his head again and turned to crawl to the other side of the bed where he would find his father. While doing so, his foot caught onto something. Frowning he yanked his foot forward. A faint sound floated through the room and made him hold his breath for a second. He let out a relieved sigh when the snoring continued. The distance between the two sides of the bed had never seemed so long to Parker as now, when he was travelling it on his knees in the dark. Finally he arrived at his father's side. He stuck his head up over the edge to take a look at his father who was facing him with his back. Parker reached out to softly shake Booth's shoulder.

Booth turned around, mumbling and cracking his eyes open. "Parker?"

"Daddy, I can't sleep."

Temperance began to wake up now too. She rolled over onto her other side to find a very much awake Parker staring at her. Booth gave her an apologetic smile.

"He can't sleep."

She stared at him. Booth stared right back. _What does he want me to do? Bore him to sleep with scientific facts?_ Temperance rubbed her eyes, trying to come up with an answer. She ended up holding the covers up.

"Get in here, Parker."

She figured that the presence of other human beings would assure the boy and eventually lull him to sleep. Booth lifted the boy up and set him down between them. Parker immediately snuggled deep under the covers. The two grown-ups gazed at him, both propped up on an elbow. They watched him slowly fall asleep. Booth smiled at the anthropologist.

"Good thinking." Temperance shrugged at his praise. "I guess I have to find another way to wake you up now." She playfully hit him on the shoulder and slid down under the covers again to fall asleep just like the cute blond-haired angel that was lying next to her.

---°---

Her eyes fluttered open. _What's that sound?_ Faint beeping noises were making their way from the living room into the bedroom. Temperance rolled onto her back and put her hands on her stomach. _There are those beeping sounds again. _She listened intently to the noise before a smile appeared on her face. _It's the TV. Parker's probably watching cartoons._ Next she heard Booth's cell phone going off.

"I said I'd call you when I had her answer." He sighed. "Fine. I'll make sure to ask her today but stop calling me then, alright? Good. I'll talk to you later."

_Another mysterious call. He's been getting quite a few lately._ Her thoughts were interrupted by the shrill sound of her own phone. She quickly flipped it open.

"Brennan."

"You're late."

Temperance fell down onto her pillow again. "Angela …" She could almost see the grin on the artist's face as Angela announced what time it was. Temperance shot up right. "It's 10.15?!" The anthropologist was up and storming out of the bedroom in no time. "I'll be there in fifteen minutes, Angela."

"Take your time, sweetie. You're already running late; why not take advantage of that? I'm sure Booth will agree with me."

Temperance sighed. "Fifteen minutes, Angela. Then I'll be there."

"Fine. I'll tell Hodgins and Zach to have their findings ready." Angela answered before ending the call.

She came to a stop in front of Booth. "Why didn't your alarm clock go off? No, better question - why didn't you wake me up?"

"Chill, Bones." he soothed her. "I thought you hadn't set the alarm because you wanted to sleep in and stay for half a day with me and Parker."

"I'm absolutely sure I set the alarm last night!" she said before stomping off to the bedroom again. A loud curse rang through the apartment a couple of moments later. It was loud enough to tear Parker away from his precious cartoons.

"Tempe said a bad word!"

Booth sighed. "Yes she did, bud." _Note to me: remind Bones not to swear in front of Parker._

Next thing he knew, a fuming Brennan was shoving an alarm clock in his face. "Someone unplugged it!"

"Not me!"

"Who else could've done it, huh? You're always on about 'loosening up' and 'living life'." She underlined her words by using air quotes. "It sounds just like you to unplug the alarm to keep me from going to work. We've got a case to solve, Booth!"

"I know we do, Bones." he shot back. "I'm just as determined as you are to find out who killed that girl. And stop pushing that thing up my nose!"

Neither of them noticed how Parker, eyes wide with fear and guilt, approached them until he said in a small voice, "I did it, Tempe." They slowly turned to him. "I pulled it out. My foot … it …" By now the little boy's eyes were starting to well up.

"It was an accident." Booth calmly stated.

Parker nodded. "I'm sorry, Tempe. Please don't be mad at daddy. I did it." His words were accompanied by such a sad and pleading look that she couldn't help but kneel down to look him straight in the eyes.

"It's ok, Parker. It was an accident. You didn't do it on purpose. And I'm …" She briefly averted her eyes to the alarm clock she was still holding. "And I'm sorry for yelling at your dad. I shouldn't have done that."

Booth knelt down as well. "We weren't really mad at each other, bud."

The four year old glanced from his father to Temperance and back. "You weren't?"

"We weren't." Booth agreed, shaking his head as he pulled his son in for a hug. After having returned his warmth, Parker pulled back and launched himself into Temperance's arms.

"I'm really sorry, Tempe."

She hesitantly put her arm around the little boy's shoulders. "It's ok, Parker."

Satisfied with the hugs and the forgiveness he had gotten, Parker quickly scurried back to the living room to watch some more cartoons. Booth and Brennan watched him take off, not getting up from their kneeled position on the floor.

"This is why I wouldn't be a good mother."

This time it was Booth who put his arms around her. "That's bull and you know it, Bones." he mumbled into her hair. "You were great with him yesterday. You can't expect to act perfect around him all the time. I make mistakes as well and I'm his father!"

Temperance withdrew a little to look at him. "I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. It was … wrong of me. I'm …" She drew in a sharp breath. "I'm sorry." she choked out. _Does he know how hard it is for me to say that?_

"It's alright, Bones. No hard feelings. Besides, I like a good fight from time to time." He flashed her a smile to answer her puzzled expression. "After a fight, you have to kiss and make up."

This brought a smile on Brennan's face. "And we both know that making up can be _very_ satisfying."

Booth leaned forward to give her a chaste kiss, nothing too sensual just in case Parker walked in on them. "You got that right." he grinned afterwards.

And just like Booth had predicted, Parker walked in right when he leaned in again for another kiss. "Daddy, I'm hungry."

"Just give me a minute to make some pancakes, bud." He gave Temperance a quick glance. _Great kid. Bad timing. _"You're staying for breakfast, right?"

"Seeley no, I told Angela I'd be there in fifteen minutes. I've already lost five minutes because of our little quarrel." Temperance reasoned, completely forgetting about Booth's persistent nature.

"Bones, I'm not letting you leave this apartment without two or three pancakes in your stomach."

Temperance was about to protest when Parker cut her off. "Please, Tempe? Daddy's pancakes are yummy!" The boy rubbed his stomach to emphasize his words.

She looked from one Booth to the other; they were both giving her the deadly combination of pleading eyes and a charm smile. Sighing internally, she flipped her phone open and dialled the lab. "Angela? Tell Hodgins and Zach to have their findings ready by 1 pm. Yeah, I'm coming in later …"

---°---

"Daddy, I want to see The House again."

Temperance noted how Booth gripped the steering wheel just a tad tighter. "Now's not a good time, bud. Your mom's expecting you back at noon."

"But daddy …" Parker whined. "I want to see The House!"

"The house? Is that the name of a movie?" Temperance queried Booth.

He gave her a quick look. "No." Then he peered into the rear view mirror at his son. "No, Parker. I'm not driving by The House today. There's no time."

"But daddy!"

"Driving by? Oh, The House is a real house!"

Booth gritted his teeth at the simultaneous exclamations of his fellow passengers. _They're already teaming up against me!_ "Bones … Parker …" he warned in a low voice.

Temperance rolled her eyes and averted her gaze to the rapidly passing surroundings while Parker resolved to pout. Booth let out a deep sigh. "Thank you."

---°---

She watched him wave one last time at his son in the doorway before shifting from neutral into first gear and driving away. He nudged her quite hard to signal that she should be waving as well. Temperance turned around and did as her partner had silently but quite violently requested. A happy Parker waved at them until they were out of sight. Next she turned back to Booth to give him a calculating stare, like she gave every pile of bones she came across. _The House is a real house, there's no question about that. It must be an important place if Seeley's showed it to Parker._ Narrowing her eyes to intensify her stare, she thought _Come on Seeley; you know you want to tell me._

Booth shifted under her intense stare, feeling rather uncomfortable to be treated with the same look she usually preserved for the remains lying on her table. _She wants to see the house. No doubt about that._ He dared to glance over at her. She raised her eyebrows in response. Booth sighed. _Like I can deny her anything …_

Temperance patted his knee, a satisfied smile plastered on her face, when he made a U-turn and headed in the opposite direction of the lab. _Thank you, Seeley._

Fifteen minutes later they pulled up at a fairly large Victorian House. The rather large front garden, filled with trees and other plants, formed a nice background for the house with white walls and black roof tiles. Temperance noted the two floors, the garage and the cosy-looking porch the house counted.

"This is it." Booth mumbled.

Brennan's mind was working at full speed now. _Booth obviously likes the house otherwise he wouldn't have showed it to his son. But why is he so interested in it? Is he thinking of buying it?_ Her eyes searched for a 'For Sale'-sign but found none.

"There's no 'For Sale' sign." she stated.

"That's because it's not for sale. The owner's still living there."

She chewed her bottom lip as she turned back to study the house. Two days ago, Booth had given her the comment that Miss Hovrey's place was very nice. If her memory served her correctly, he had asked her if she wouldn't like to live in such a house. Temperance's eyes flew back to Booth's face. _Is he actually considering buying that house for us to live in?_ Seeing his distressed look, she calmed down in a matter of seconds. _It's a logical move. My apartment is big enough for two grown-ups; not for two grown-ups and an energetic four year old._

"Have you ever asked the owner if he's willing to sell?" The relief that flashed across his features tugged at her heart.

"Yeah, I've done that once. The owner was an old lady. She claimed she would only sell the house to a very special couple. Since I came alone, I wasn't considered a worthy buyer."

"Well, we are a couple. Aren't we?" Booth nodded. "Let's go ask her again then." Temperance quickly opened the door and got out.

"Whoa wait, Bones!" He jumped out of the car and ran after her. "Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?"

"If you mean I'm planning on convincing that lady to sell that house to us then yes, I'm suggesting what you think I'm suggesting." She stopped walking for a moment to smile at him. She laughed softly at his imitation of a fish, his mouth slowly opening and closing and his eyes wide with surprise. "Don't be so surprised, Seeley." she said, brining her face closer to his. "I told you I've got a very steep learning curve."

He shook his head as Temperance took off again towards the front door. _That woman will never cease to amaze me._ He arrived at her side just when the front door opened, revealing a beautiful young woman with striking green eyes and nut-brown hair. Temperance gave her partner a sideway glance. _An old lady, right?_

"Yes? How can I help you?" the young woman asked cautiously.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Temperance Brennan and this is Seeley Booth, my …" she trailed off, not quite knowing how to describe the man standing next to her. The terms 'boyfriend' and 'lover' briefly flashed through her mind but they didn't seem to fit in this situation.

"Her partner." Booth helped her. "We're interested in buying your house."

The young woman nodded and immediately shouted, "Granma, there's another couple here for the house."

An older woman with greying hair and equally striking green eyes came rushing into the hallway, surprisingly fast for her age. "Who is it, Mary?" She came to an abrupt stop when she laid eyes on Booth. "You're back." she simply stated. Her eyes slid over to the auburn-haired scientist standing close to him. "I see you've brought someone along." She studied the anthropologist for a while. Temperance put her hands in her pockets and bluntly stared back. Then the corners of her mouth pulled up in a large smile. "Come in, please. I'd be happy to show you around. I'm Elisabeth and this is my granddaughter, Mary."

---°---

Booth turned the engine off when the car came to a stop on his parking spot at the Jeffersonian. He contemplated his hands lying on the steering wheel for a while before turning around to face Temperance.

"She's selling the house … to us …"

Temperance nodded. "I told you I would convince her."

"That's just it. You didn't need to. It was like she'd already decided that we were going to be the new owners the second she saw us."

"I wouldn't question it, Seeley." Temperance said, reaching out to pat his hand on the steering wheel. "We're buying that house. That's all that matters." Temperance gathered her coat and purse and got out of the car, leaving Booth behind.

He went back to contemplating his hands. How Elisabeth had examined him and Temperance as they had been waiting at her front door and how she had happily announced half an hour later that they were the couple she had been waiting for, didn't stop bugging him. The old lady was eccentric, that was a sure fact. In between showing them the bedrooms and the bathroom upstairs, her granddaughter had explained to him how her grandmother and her grandfather had built this house with their bare hands. After her grandfather had died, her grandmother had decided that she would sell the house since her granddaughter didn't want to live in a place that was filled with memories. But she would only sell to a couple that was as much in love as she had been with her deceased husband. In the past five years there had been many couples interested in the house but up till now Booth and Brennan had been the only ones Elisabeth had invited in.

_Is it that obvious that I love her?_ He said to himself. He still didn't know when he had begun to love her. All he knew was that he loved her with every fibre of his being. He'd turn every stone if she was missing. He'd take on everyone that gave her so much as a glare. He was even willing to sacrifice his dreams of getting married and having a pack of children if it meant he could love her until the last day of his life.

For a very long time he had believed that she didn't return his feelings, that she saw him as her partner and nothing more. And he had been just fine with that position. He had deemed it better to have her as his partner then to lose her over something as futile as his schoolboy crush. His crush had soon evolved into something deeper, though. He felt a tug at his heart every time he saw her snap on a pair of new latex gloves or when she snagged a file from his hands. Booth had known he was in trouble when he had found himself wishing another skeleton would turn up. It is never a good thing when you start wishing for a juicy corpse instead of a day of sunshine when you're taking the day off.

When he had realised he was head over heels in love, he had decided to stay close to her and wait for his chance. Slowly but surely he had approached her, ready to jump back the second she saw through his intentions. He had smelled a golden opportunity when those dreams had begun taunting her. He still couldn't believe how Temperance had opened up to him but he certainly didn't mind. _It's just that everything that has happened since our talk on her roof top seems so surreal. And now she is considering buying the house I've been interested in for years. She wants us to live there, damn it!_ Booth rested his head on the steering wheel. _God, what have I done to deserve her? Someone who used to kill people in cold blood shouldn't be so lucky._

Suddenly the door on the passenger's side of the car swung open. Temperance hopping in made him lift his head.

"I figured out who killed Gloria."

---°---

"If that isn't Agent Booth and _Dr. _Brennan." Miss Hovrey scoffed, stressing Temperance's title on purpose. "What are you two doing here?"

Booth took off his sunglasses to throw the woman a piercing stare. "Would you mind, Miss Hovrey?" he said, indicating the inside of the house.

This time she immediately took a couple of steps back to let them enter, albeit reluctant. Miss Hovrey led the way to the kitchen where she picked up the cup of coffee she had just poured herself.

"We've got more questions for you, Miss Hovrey." Booth began.

"How much did you hate your son's girlfriend, Gloria?" Temperance asked straightforward.

The stern-looking woman nearly smashed her cup to pieces when she put it down on the counter. "What makes you think I hated her?"

"Your husband left you to take care of Jacob by yourself. You gave your son all the love and affection you could muster to see him grow up to the man he is today - a man who deeply loved Gloria McLennan. It must've been hard for you to see him be infatuated with another woman."

Booth watched Miss Hovrey grip onto the counter. Her expression went from stern to hurt to angry. Temperance on the other hand moved around the kitchen as quietly as possible. If she was right, which she usually was, then the murder weapon would be somewhere in this room.

"It must've been a shock to hear that Gloria and Jacob were going to live together. Your son told us you nearly threw him out of the house when he told you." Booth continued. "You must've blown a fuse when Gloria came over three months ago to try to explain the whole situation to you."

"She told me she loved him but that wasn't possible. I'm the only one who's supposed, no _allowed_, to love him." Miss Hovrey spit out, still holding on tightly to the counter.

"So you decided to bash her skull into pieces with a rolling pin." Temperance announced as she held up the murder weapon, a wooden rolling pin. "But not after you had broken both of her arms, had fractured three ribs and had punched her left knee to a pulp. Afterwards you cut her up in pieces and stuffed her in one of your son's gym bags which you threw into the canal."

"I only wanted my son back." the older woman mumbled. "She didn't deserve him."

Booth moved forward, cuffs ready, when Miss Hovrey released the counter and let her head hang down in guilt.

---°---

She picked up the lacy garment to take a good look at it. "I really don't understand why you get so turned on whenever you see one, let alone feel one."

Booth kissed his way up from her stomach to her face. He gave her a toe-curling kiss after he had pulled her naked body flush against his. "There's nothing a bigger turn-on than a sexy woman wearing sexy underwear."

"Yeah, but why lace?"

He shrugged. "It feels nice."

Temperance snagged the lacy piece of underwear from his hands to study them. She shook her head. "I still don't get it."

"That's because you don't have a thing for lace panties." he chuckled. "I'm sure there's something you like the feel of."

Temperance lowered her mouth onto his shoulders to nibble her way to his neck and then down his chest. "Yeah, your skin." she murmured against him.

He pulled her up for another kiss. "Damn woman, you sure know how to push my buttons." he groaned after having ravaged her lips.

A satisfied smile tugging at her lips, she placed her head in the crook of his arm and cuddled up against him. A comfortable silence descended on them, only broken by the sound of Booth's arms moving around until they were wrapped around Temperance's waist.

"So Seeley, when are you going to fill me in on those mysterious phone calls you've been getting lately?"

She felt Booth stiffen. "What phone calls?" he carefully probed.

"Seeley …" Temperance warned.

He sighed. "It was my mother. She called to ask if I was coming to the party my family is throwing for her birthday." He paused for two, maybe three seconds. "She asked if I was taking you with me."

Now it was Temperance who stiffened. "You want me to meet your family?" Booth nodded against her hair. Temperance remained quiet for a few moments before letting out a deep sigh. "Let's hope your mother likes me. I have no intention to end up like Gloria."


	27. Week 4: Friday

Author's note: Warning! No smut in this one! °drags the reader back° Hey, it's still an overall nice chapter. :P You'll soon understand why there's no smut. This chapter is all about family. Well, Booth's family to be more precise. I haven't got a clue about what has been told about his parents on the show. I've based this chapter on the information I got from _canadianagurl_ and _krisnina77_ (you guys rock!) and, of course, my overly active imagination. :)

As always, loads of thanks to my beta - _EternalConfusion_. I'm amazed she hasn't abandoned me and my freaky grammar mistakes yet. :)

I blame the delay on my lack of Internet connection. :) It has been acting quite weird and made it impossible for me to send this chapter to my beta.

For my reviewers: Oh dear, I don't think I've ever gotten this many reviews! Thank you _Shortymae, bb-4ever, jess.stretch, bonesgirl01, Organa46, Spuffyshipper, jaed621, Amasayda, Aertyn, Bellabun _(where's the day I wondered if I would ever make it to 75 reviews?)_, squinter, Bones4life _(I'd love to add some AH but I'm afraid my storyline doesn't allow that. Maybe in my next story.)_, goldpiece, canadianagurl, blueheelers4ever, I hart Booth, Addictt, krisnina77, EternalConfusion, pagan-seijou _(you convinced me to add Parker)_, BonesDBchippie, angel6, Lady Elanya, HolidayArmadillo, didimil, mereva_ and _david thomas_! I absolutely adore you guys. :)

Disclaimer: Blah blah blah, don't own them, blah blah blah wish I did, blah blah blah but this fluffy plot is entirely mine!

* * *

**- Week 4: Friday -  
--------------------------------**

"I see you're on time today."

Temperance looked up to find Angela entering the office. "Hey, Ange."

The artist flopped down in the seat on the other side of the desk. Temperance kept her gaze focused on her computer screen.

"Sweetie, it's not nice to ignore your friends."

"I'm not ignoring you."

"Not taking your eyes off your computer screen and not engaging in small talk is considered ignoring."

Angela watched Temperance reach for her notepad and pencil to jot down a couple of things she had just read on the screen. The anthropologist muttered something unintelligible under her breath but Angela swore that she heard a distinctive "smart-ass" somewhere in all that mumbling.

"Bren, what are you doing anyway? The paperwork can wait. I want to hear _everything_ about your day out with the Booth-men!"

Temperance left her computer and notes alone for a brief moment to give the artist a stern stare. "I'd love to provide you with every dirty detail because, trust me, there are quite a few but I have to finish this report before noon."

She preferred to ignore the suddenly very interested artist and turned back to her notes. Only the aforementioned artist didn't plan on letting Temperance get away with such a lame excuse after mentioning the words 'dirty' and 'detail' in the same sentence.

"That report can wait. I want details … Now!"

Temperance snatched the report back that Angela had managed to pull from her grasp. "No Angela, I don't have the time. I have to write this thing before noon." A curious look appeared on Angela's face. "Booth's picking me up at noon," Temperance explained.

"Like for lunch? Honey, you can easily complete that report after your long lunch break with our favourite piece of FB-eye candy."

"I'm not coming back after my lunch break."

Angela once again pulled the report away from Temperance but made sure to keep it out of Brennan's reach this time. "What do you mean, 'you're not coming back after lunch'?"

"Booth and I are leaving for San Diego."

Angela's eyes lit up. "Like, on a romantic get-away?" The excitement was clearly audible in the artist's words.

"No, for a visit to his parents," Temperance answered back, reaching across the desk for the much desired report. Her arm was left hanging in mid-air as the artist took hold of her wrist. With her brows knitted together, Temperance gave her friend an intense stare. "Angela, can I have my arm back?" The only signs that the artist hadn't fainted, were her twinkling eyes, her slightly irregular breathing and of course her death grip on Brennan's wrist. "Ange... My arm? Please?"

"You are... meeting... _his family_??"

"Yes, Angela. I am. Can I get my arm and my report back now?"

Angela rolled her eyes but let go of Tempe's arm nonetheless. The anthropologist grabbed her notes and began scribbling again, all the while being surveyed by her best friend.

"Sweetie, how can you be so calm? In just a few hours time you are meeting the two people that created the man you love. Aren't you at least a bit scared?"

No reaction whatsoever from Temperance.

"Oh right, you once beat up a gang leader. Meeting Booth's mom and dad shouldn't be so scary then."

Temperance kept her eyes fixed on the report. _Great, she's back to ignoring me. _

"Maybe I should warn his parents so they can "flee the scene" before you get there." Her last comment made Temperance's head jerk up. "Relax, Bren. I wouldn't do that. At least I got your attention now..."

Brennan threw her pencil on the desk, emitting a deep sigh. "You're not going to leave me alone until I give you what you want to hear, right?" Angela vigorously nodded her head. Temperance sighed in response. "Fine. We'll play it your way." She reached into her bag. Sliding a picture over the desk, she asked "What do you think of this house?"

Angela carefully studied the picture of a white-walled with a black-tiled roof Victorian House. "Nice place."

"Thanks."

"Why 'thanks'?" A confused look appeared on the artist's face.

"That's where Seeley and I are going to live." Taking advantage of the momentary shocked state of her friend, Temperance got up and stalked to the door. "Put the picture back on my desk when you're done gawking, Ange. Thanks."

---°---

About an hour before Booth was supposed to pick her up, Temperance found herself cornered on the platform by Angela, Zach and Hodgins. Well, the two men were each working at their own stations but they kept a close eye, or rather a close ear, on the conversation between the two women so Temperance felt like, in reality, they were helping Angela by making sure she couldn't get away.

"Bren, you're scared."

"I'm not scared, Angela. From what Booth has told me, they seem like really nice people."

"What exactly has he told you?"

Temperance stared at her notes for a minute. "Not much, to be honest. Just that his father used to serve in the army and that his mother writes jingles. He's got a brother who gave him a scar on his hip when they were playing soldier." She looked up to meet Angela's eyes. "That's about it."

The artist took a step closer to Temperance. "That's not much, is it?" At Brennan's shake of her head, she continued "So maybe it's time to get scared."

"Angela, you're acting as if his parents are serial killers." Temperance moved around to get past Angela but the artist copied her moves to block her path.

"Sweetie, are you even aware of the big step you're about to take? Meeting the parents is a _huge _milestone in a relationship. You and Booth will be married before you know it!"

"I don't believe in marriage," the anthropologist countered, trying again to escape, without any success.

"But Booth does," Angela retorted as if her answer explained everything. She grabbed Brennan's hands and gave her a concerned smile. "I just want you to prepare mentally for this weekend. You have already changed so much over the last couple of weeks. We've seen you go from 'We're just partners' to 'Seeley and I are taking the day off'."

"One of your biggest wishes was for me and Booth to get together. I thought you'd be ecstatic that he's introducing me to his family?" Temperance asked in a slightly sarcastic voice but with a tad of confusion added to it.

Angela sighed. "You're not getting the point here, sweetie. I'm just saying that there could be a couple of surprises waiting for you this weekend."

Temperance examined her friend's face. "Do you know something that I don't know about?"

"Just look at how Booth's already changed you. Imagine what changes could take place when you're surrounded by his entire family." The artist patted Tempe's hand. "I just want you to fully understand the impact of meeting his family. It's something to be scared of."

The anthropologist gave Angela's hand a reassuring squeeze. "Does being nervous count as 'being scared'?" Angela nodded. "Then I'm scared."

They smiled at each other.

"Good. That's very good, Bren. That's normal," Angela pointed out. Temperance attempted to get past her again. Angela gave her a Cheshire grin as she once again blocked her path. "Not so fast, honey. You still owe me some dirty details about your day off with the Booth-men."

Temperance sighed but decided to give in to Angela's request. Maybe then she could finally finish up the report of the last case she and Booth had solved.

---°---

At twelve o'clock sharp, Booth briskly walked through the glass doors of the lab, scanned himself in and hopped up the stairs to the platform.

"Hey Hodgins," he greeted the entomologist while walking past his station.

"Hey, chimp-man."

Booth came to an abrupt stop. Turning slowly to face the scientist, he asked "What did you just call me?"

Hodgins looked up. "G-man. I said 'Hey G-man'."

"Right…" Booth cast one last glance at the blue-eyed bug man before continuing his way to Brennan's office. Somewhere along the way he nearly bumped into Zach who was carrying a box of bones. "Whoa, careful there with that box."

"Yes, it almost hit me square in the eye."

Booth stared at Brennan's assistant. _What did he just say?_ Before the FBI agent could ask Zach to repeat his words, the grad-student had already disappeared to the platform. Booth shook his head. _Squints…_ He resumed his walk towards Brennan's office.

"Hey Bones, are you ready to go?" he said as he entered her office. "Hey Angela."

The artist didn't return his greeting. Instead, she just stood there, staring at him with an impossibly large smile plastered on her face.

"Angela?" he carefully tried.

Her grin seemed to grow even larger. Suddenly a wave of laughter erupted from her. "Banana!" she exclaimed while trusting a finger in his direction and bending over double from laughter.

Booth's gaze flicked from Temperance who was watching the whole scene with an amused smile playing around her lips to the artist who was clutching her sides while she laughed her head off, all the while shrieking "Banana!".

Then it dawned on him.

"You told her!"

Temperance shrugged.

"You told all of them!"

"No, I just told Angela. Hodgins and Zach happened to be in the neighbourhood."

Booth groaned and ran a hand over his face. He glared at Angela who was still laughing. "Stop laughing, Angela. It's not funny."

"Yes it is! Oh how I wish…" A new fit of laughter shook her body. "I just wish I could've seen it!"

"Actually you can. I got it all on tape," Temperance answered matter-of-factly.

"Bones!"

"You do? Let me see!" Angela exclaimed eagerly.

Temperance shook her head. "I can't. Booth's got the tape."

"Yeah and I'm not about to show you. Come on, Bones. We've got a plane to catch."

Glaring one last time at the artist, Booth led his partner out of her office, his hand placed firmly on her lower back.

"Remember sweetie, it's ok to be scared!" Angela shouted after them. The only sign she got that Temperance had heard her, was a quick wave of her hand before Booth ushered her through the exit doors and around the corner.

Hodgins came to stand next to Angela. "Everything will go great, baby." Angela nodded, briefly touching the corner of her eyes. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, Jack. It's just that…" She sighed. Not taking her eyes off the glass exit doors, she said "My baby's growing up."

---°---

"You're scared." It wasn't as much a question as it was a statement.

"I'm not scared."

"Angela said you are."

She kept her mouth closed until both of them had slid into the car and they were driving out of the underground parking complex.

"I'm nervous. Not scared. Nervous."

"That's the same."

"No, it's not," she immediately shot back.

Booth sighed. This was going nowhere. He had been trying to fathom her feelings and thoughts about going to San Diego with him but up till now he had been unsuccessful. Them bickering wouldn't help one bit.

"Fine, then you're nervous," he gave in. "Just tell me what there is to be 'nervous' about."

"Nothing!"

She was being edgy with him and she knew it. But she couldn't help it. This whole 'meet and greet' thing had her worked up more than she wanted to admit to herself. With their latest case fresh in mind, she worried about what would become of them if his family didn't like her._ Booth is a mature man. He won't stop loving me if his parents classify me as horrible … but it would put extra pressure on our relationship. _She was so focussed on the parents-part that she wasn't aware of her confidence in Booth's love.

"I already packed your bags. They're in the trunk," Booth announced, trying to start another conversation.

Temperance visibly relaxed. "You did? What did you pack?"

"A bit of everything and don't worry, I've folded your clothes exactly like you do." He glanced at her. "We've travelled enough together for cases for me to know how you pack your bags, Bones."

After having given him a nod, Temperance returned to her staring out of the window. "Angela knows about the house," she suddenly said.

"She does?" Booth questioned, lifting his eyebrows. "What did she say?"

"She thought it was a nice place."

He nodded. Then he cleared his throat, tossed her a quick glance and tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "You know, we've never discussed the whole financial matter." He glanced at her again. She was looking at him with raised eyebrows. "We both have jobs which provide us with a generous income so it shouldn't be difficult to get a loan." He named the amount of money he presumed they should get from the bank.

"No, we don't need to borrow that much," Temperance replied, shaking her head. "I've saved up some money that I want to use for buying our house."

With a smile tugging at his lips, Booth registered her words. They hadn't bought the place yet but already his partner was referring to it as 'their house'. It was almost impossible to express how relieved he had felt when she had agreed to buying the Victorian home he had had an eye on for a very long time.

"Exactly how much money have you saved?"

The number that casually rolled of her lips made his eyes bug out. With screeching tires he drove the SUV off the main road into an available parking space.

"Bones, could you…" he asked, staring at her. Temperance named the number again. Booth fell back against his chair, mumbling "Dear Lord, my partner's a millionaire."

"I don't think that I have enough money to be entitled 'millionaire' but yes, I suppose you could say that I've saved up quite a lot."

"Quite a lot?" Booth repeated after her, incredulous. "Where on earth did you dig up all that money, Bones? Did you find some hidden treasure?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Seeley. I'm not a treasure hunter." Then she shrugged one shoulder. "Apparently my books sell well. Combine that with all the pay-checks I've gotten for my work in foreign countries and with the generous pay the Jeffersonian gives me and then you should have a rough image of how I've obtained that money."

"Jesus…" Booth muttered, still shocked. He gave her an incredulous look as he mumbled another "Jesus Christ".

Temperance furrowed her brow. "I thought you'd be happy to hear we don't have to get such a big loan from the bank."

"I am happy! Trust me, I am! I'm just... shell-shocked."

"Oh…" she started, nodding her head. "Maybe you should let me drive then?"

His face went from shocked to amused. "Nice try, Bones."

They exchanged a smile before Booth shifted from neutral to first gear and drove away. Temperance noted that they weren't taking the road to the airport. She turned to face him and asked him where they were heading.

"We need to make one more stop before we go to the airport."

Suddenly she realised where they were. "Parker?"

"Parker," he answered firmly.

---°---

"Come on Rebecca, the boy hasn't seen his grandparents in ages!" Booth pleaded.

He got a curt "no" for an answer. Tiredly he ran a hand through his hair. For the last twenty minutes he had been trying to convince Rebecca into letting Parker go with them to San Diego. All he had gotten in return were a couple of glares and a lot of no's. He was just glad that Parker was still at school. It wouldn't have been good for him to see his parents fight.

"Rebecca," he slowly began. The length of the argument was starting to get to him. Temperance made every argument interesting, unlike the mother of his son. With his partner, he knew he had a slight chance of winning. Whenever he was fighting with Rebecca, he always felt like he was the losing party. Even if he won. "You owe me this. If it wasn't for me, you would have been forced to take Parker with you to work last Wednesday."

"This is my weekend, Seeley. I'm not giving up my weekend."

"Is this because you don't like my parents?" The slight narrowing of her eyes and the way she pinched her lips told him he had hit a soft spot. "My son loves his grandparents, Rebecca. It has been over a year since he has last seen them. Just because you don't get along with them, doesn't mean that you have the right to deprive Parker from visiting them."

Rebecca sighed. "Alright, he can go with you."

Booth sent a silent thank you prayer up. After having given his partner who was sitting in the car a thumbs up, he followed Rebecca inside the house to pack Parker's things.

---°---

"Daddy!"

"Hey, bud!" Booth shouted as he picked up his son. The little guy smothered him in a hug before he turned to Temperance who was standing next to his father, hands in pockets.

"Hey, Tempe!"

Brennan simply smiled at him to return his greeting.

"Where's mommy?"

"She's at home, bud. Tempe and I are here to pick you up."

Temperance quirked her eyebrows at hearing the abbreviated version of her name. Booth had never called her 'Tempe' before. It was weird to hear him use the name that all her ex-lovers had used. She made a mental note to remind him not to use it again. He was different from everyone else she had been with; him calling her by her full name or by her precious nickname underlined that fact.

"You know where we're going, Parker?" Booth asked his son while he strapped him in. "We're going to visit your grandma and granddad."

Parker's eyes widened. "Grangran and Poppop?"

Booth nodded. The enthusiastic cheering that followed made all heads of the present parents and other four year olds turn in their direction. The FBI agent paid no attention to them. All he saw was the broad smile on his son's face. _I did the right thing, bugging Rebecca to take him along._

---°---

She watched Booth's son energetically bounce up and down in his seat next to the window. Ever since the four year old had found out they were going to visit 'Grangran and Poppop' - _What strange nicknames. His father's influence, without a doubt._ - he hadn't been able to sit still. Booth had assured her that he'd eventually tire. She sure hoped he would, otherwise his plane seat risked to collapse from all the bouncing.

A while later they were up in the air. Parker had finally calmed down when his father had handed him some sort of electronic game she didn't know the name of. The little boy was now completely engrossed in it. Booth was reading a magazine, also completely caught up in what he was doing. Temperance shifted her gaze to the book that was lying on her lap. She had tried to read several times but somehow she couldn't concentrate on the words printed on the pages. Temperance sighed. _I've never been a coward. Let's get this over with._

"Yes, I'm scared."

Booth's head shot up at her confession. He searched her eyes for a moment to determine her intentions. "You are?"

"Yes, I am."

"Why?" he prompted.

"It's a huge step in our relationship. Me meeting your parents is a logical move, I understand that but still, it's a huge step," she tried to explain.

Booth smiled. "You've been over this thoroughly with Angela, haven't you?" He got a nod from her. "You shouldn't be scared, Bones. I'm just taking you to my parent's house. I'm not asking you to get married and have a flock of children."

She involuntarily cringed at his words. _Maybe this is what Angela meant with 'preparing mentally'. _Her coming along would surely raise certain questions. More precisely, questions about where they were taking their relationship. Booth's expectations from life were obviously based on something he had experienced himself. From his words she could deduct that Booth most likely had a large family and that his parents were happily married.

"I just don't know what to expect. You haven't exactly been open about your family."

Booth drew in a deep breath. _She's right. I'm throwing her in the middle of something she doesn't have a clue about._ "Well, you've got my parents who have been married for God-knows-how-long but who are still as much in love as they were all those years ago. Then there's my older brother Jared. I also got one sister, Lilly. She's been married for a couple of years now. She and Brad have three kids with one more on the way. I also got a couple of uncles and aunts but my parents, Jared and Lilly are the people you're most likely to meet this weekend."

Nodding her head, she asked him "Tell me a bit more about your parents. What are they like?"

"I think you can compare my mother to the sunniest day. She's always smiling and extremely positive about things. I'm not kidding." He chuckled softly. "I once ripped my trousers while I was playing a baseball game. Everyone could see what kind of underwear I was wearing."

She lifted her eyebrows. "Were you embarrassed?"

"Of course I was, Bones! Wouldn't you be if you were standing in the middle of a baseball field, wearing nothing more than a pair of ripped trousers and a pair of boxers with Bugs Bunny printed all over them?"

An amused smile appeared on her face. "That could happen to anyone, Booth."

"Maybe so yes, but it's quite embarrassing when you're sixteen years old." Her smile grew in force. "You know what my ever optimistic mother said?" Booth continued. Temperance shook her head. "She said: Well, at least now everyone knows I do my laundry properly."

He heard her chuckle softly. The sound made him smile. He just couldn't get enough of hearing her laugh. "Yeah, that's my mother. She always tries to see the bright side of everything. She also loves to cook so don't be surprised when she asks you if you want a muffin or some other snack the minute we step through the door."

"I'll keep that in mind." She paused for a few moments, waiting for Booth to continue. When he didn't, she carefully probed "What about your father?"

"My father?" Booth fell silent. "He loves his children. He's always been there for us when we needed him. He used to smile more - before he came back from a disastrous army mission." He contemplated the chair before him for a minute. "He's the rock of our family, you know. He keeps us all grounded. Especially my mother, with all her crazy ideas," he ended, laughing softly.

Temperance had noticed the distant look that had washed over her partner's face when he had talked about his father. Booth's tone suggested that he cared deeply for the man that had raised him. He respected him. But why the distant look then?

Booth grabbed her hand to squeeze it gently. "My family's a kind of its own, Bones. So don't try to analyze them. They'd drive you up the walls," he jokingly said.

Smiling in a teasing way, she replied "Just like you do."

"Daddy, I'm hungry," Parker interrupted them, temporarily forgetting his game.

"He can have my bag of peanuts," Temperance offered.

"No Bones, no peanuts for Parker." Booth dug up a candy bar from his pocket which he gave to his son. Temperance raised her eyebrows and sent him a questioning look. "He's allergic to peanuts," Booth explained.

"Oh, right. Good to know."

She quickly tucked away that piece of information somewhere in her mind for later use as she grabbed her book to do some reading.

---°---

The house was exactly how she had pictured it: a fairly large two-storied villa near the beach. Her eyes slid over the large drive-way, the dozens of windows of the house and over the balcony on the left side of the house before they came to a rest on the huge front door. In about five minutes she would walk through it, straight into the heart of the Booth-family. It frightened her and that was something she didn't like. Temperance Brennan wasn't scared. She was tough and independent. She possessed a rational mind and was able to put her emotions in a box. Temperance shook her head. _Who am I trying to fool here? The day I let Seeley in, was the day I smashed the lock on that small box inside of me._

She was out of the car and moving towards the door with Parker's hand tucked firmly into her own before she knew it. Booth had his hand on her lower back, as always. Temperance tried to concentrate on something else other than the slowly approaching door. _The flowers here look like someone takes care of them regularly._ Her gaze flicked to the balcony. _I bet you have a nice view on the ocean when you're up there._ Then her eyes flew to the right side of the house. _The beach must be right behind it. There's probably a door in the living room that leads straight to the beach._

One minute she was holding on tightly to Parker's hand, the next minute she was staring down into, what she presumed, was Booth's mother's face.

"Grangran!" Parker shouted. He yanked his hand out of Tempe's grasp and ran straight into the open arms of his grandmother. The older woman picked him up before hugging him tightly. She placed a quick kiss on his blonde curls.

"Hey Parker. Good to see you again, buddie."

The boy and his grandmother rubbed their noses against each other as they exchanged broad smiles. After having set the young boy back on the ground, Booth's mother turned to face her son's partner.

"You must be Temperance."

The anthropologist gave her a tight smile. "That would be me, yes." The dark hair, the chocolate brown eyes, the way her eyes squeezed a bit shut as she laughed… This was definitely Booth's mother.

Temperance had to leave the safety of her partner's hand on her back when Mary Booth launched herself forward to smother the anthropologist in a hug.

"Mom, give her some breathing space!" Booth exclaimed.

Mary paid no attention whatsoever to her son as she continued to hug Temperance for at least a full minute. Somewhere in the middle of the awkward hug, Brennan brought up her arms to tentatively pat the older woman on the back. Finally Booth's mother pulled back. She kept her hands on Temperance's forearms, though.

"Good to have you here, Temperance," she warmly spoke. "Please, come inside."

Mary Booth led the way inside the house with Booth, Brennan and Parker following closely behind. Booth wrapped his arm around Brennan's shoulder in what he hoped was a comforting gesture.

"Told you my mom's a very optimistic and bright personality," he softly said to her. Temperance hesitantly smiled at him. "Just wait and see. She'll be asking if you want a snack in about three… two… one…"

"Hey, do you guys want something to eat?" Mary Booth threw over her shoulder at the threesome.

Booth chuckled. "Told you so." He then turned to his mother. "Yeah mom, a couple of your exquisite muffins would be great."

He steered the two people he loved most, Temperance and his son, into the kitchen - all the while thinking that it was going to be one hell of an interesting weekend.

* * *

You see why there is no smut? They couldn't go screwing around with little Parker and his mother in the neighbourhood. :) 


	28. Week 4: Saturday

Author's note: Oh boy, I'm no good at choosing clothes but yet I gave it a try to pick another outfit for Brennan. Feel free to mock my bad taste in clothes. :) _squinter_, your little brother is a genius! You'll see what I mean when you read this chapter. :) And last but not least, I'd better give another warning here. Things are getting corny towards the end of this chappie... After this, just one more part to go... °wanders off on the search of her box of paper handkerchiefs :(

Since I don't want to keep my dear Grammar Freak from her studying, I've called in the help of _jess.stretch_ to work her magic on this chapter. Thanks for the beta-job, girl! I owe you one. :)

For my reviewers: _Addictt, Aertyn - Fluff Monster, Amasayda, amobd, angel6, bandbfan24, Bellabun, BonesDBchippie, bonesgirl01, canadianagurl, Egyptianautumn, HolidayArmadillo, I hart Booth, iluvbonesandothershows, jess.stretch, krisnina77, Kyizi, maricejayo, mendenbar, mereva, muppetmadness, NothingButTate, Sarcastic102391, saz89, Shortymae, Spuffyshipper, Tara, Veronica _and_ YouAndMe Kelly - _ thanks for reviewing!

Disclaimer: Still don't own Bones. Maybe if we start a petition we can convince the owners to hand them to us. That or gather a mob…

* * *

**- Week 4: Saturday -  
---------------------------------------------**

A low rumble pulled her from her deep sleep. Temperance squeezed her eyes tightly shut, hoping the sound was just part of her dream. Unfortunately it was not. The low rumble grew in force until it resulted in a steady banging. She pulled the blanket up over her shoulder. _Too soon. I don't want to wake up now._

The persistent banging bothered her though. It made it unable for her to fall back asleep. Her mind faintly registered the noise as a fist knocking on a door. _Who could be knocking at my door at this unhealthy hour?_

Suddenly the door burst open. A voice shouting "Seel, my man!" made her eyes fly wide open. Temperance was up and about in no time. The same went up for Booth.

At hearing someone break down the door, he had rolled out of bed after Temperance, grabbing his gun from under his pillow in the process. He was now standing wide-legged in front of his partner, his gun pointed straight at the intruder's head, in an attempt to shield Temperance from any possible threats. At seeing who the intruder was, he lowered his weapon.

"Jared?"

"No, it's the Easter bunny," the tall dark-haired man leaning casually against the doorframe joked.

Temperance let her fists fall to her side as she got out of her fighting position. Rolling her eyes, she tapped Booth's shoulder to signal him that he could move away. He ignored her, however.

"Long time no see, bro," Jared said, pushing himself away from the doorframe. He walked towards his brother who hadn't moved an inch away from the blue-eyed woman hiding behind him. "How has life been treating you?" Jared peeked over Booth's shoulder. "Fairly good, I see, judgingby your girl."

Booth leaned a bit to the right to block Jared's view. "You look fairly good yourself, Jared. What have you been up to?"

Fortunately for him, he understood Booth's silent hint. With a broad smile plastered on his face, he left Temperance alone and averted his gaze to his brother's face. "The regular stuff, Seeley. Investigate a couple of cases, catch a couple of frauds, have a drink with a nice girl afterwards… You know the drill."

The two brothers stared at each other for a moment. A smile that could rival with Jared's slowly crept onto Booth's face. It dawned on them how ridiculous their situation was. They were standing in the middle of one of the spare bedrooms of their parents' house. Jared was fully dressed, however Booth wasn't. The only things he had on him were a pair of pyjama bottoms and a gun. He still hadn't moved away from Temperance who was only clad in underwear and a tank top. She impatiently tapped her foot, showing her disapproval of Booth's protective actions, as she watched the two men wrap an arm around each other's shoulders and pat each other on the back.

Jared was the first to pull away. "So who's the girl, Seeley?"

Booth opened his mouth but Brennan was a tad faster. "I'm his partner, Dr. Temperance Brennan." She tried to get past Booth to shake hands with Jared but he wouldn't let her.

"Bones, what the hell are you doing? Stay behind me!" With one arm he pushed her back behind him. He waved at her clothes, or rather the lack thereof, when she glared at him.

"Booth, I'm sure your brother's alright with what I'm wearing. I haven't got anything he hasn't seen before." She pushed past him to extend her hand towards Jared. "Nice to meet you."

"Yeah Seeley, I'm more than alright with what she's wearing," Jared grinned.

Instead of taking her hand, he launched himself forward to give Temperance a big bear hug. He gave his flabbergasted brother a lop-sided grin over Brennan's head. The anthropologist hesitantly returned the hug. _What is it with this family and hugs?_

"Good to have you here, Temperance," Jared said, letting go to Brennan's relief.

_Good to have you here? Isn't that exactly what Booth's mother said yesterday?_ She gave Jared a tight smile.

"Jared," Booth grumbled. "Why are you here?"

His brother sent the FBI-agent a teasing smile. "Does it matter?"

"When someone breaks down my door at 8 am, it matters, yeah."

"Mom wanted you to get up early." Jared shrugged. "Just executing orders, bro." Amusement was written all over his face as he watched Booth jerk Temperance back behind him. "I'll leave you two lovebirds alone now." He turned away and began making his way to the door.

"Hey Jay, is Parker awake yet?"

"He's been up for about half an hour now. He's in the living room watching cartoons," Jared threw over his shoulder before he closed the door.

The moment the door clicked shut, Temperance began scoffing. "What was that all about, Booth? I'm sure I'm not the first woman your brother has seen so why the protective behaviour?"

Booth shrugged one shoulder and gave her a lop-sided grin. "I can't help it, Bones. Call me an alpha male but I don't like it when someone's ogling you, even if it is my own brother."

She let out an irritated sigh but couldn't fight off a smile. "At least you didn't try to hit someone this time." She wrapped her arms around his neck to give him a chaste kiss.

"Have I ever hit someone because of you?"

"Zellar," she immediately returned.

His arms encircled her waist. "Hey," Booth protested. "He was freaking out. I had to do something to bring him back to reality. And you hit him yourself!"

"He was bothering me," the anthropologist shrugged. "What about Tim Saunders?"

Booth shook his head. "A threat was enough to rein him in again." He leaned in to kiss her. "Going all alpha male on someone's ass doesn't necessarily mean I'm using violence, Bones." Fascinated to no end, he saw a sensual smile play around her lips.

"That's something I know for sure," she said in her typical husk voice before capturing his lips.

A growl rumbling deep down his throat expressed the satisfaction he got from just kissing her. His grip on her waist tightened as he explored her mouth for what must've been the hundredth time but still felt like the first. Their tongues touched and pulled back slightly before once again circling around each other. Temperance lightly bit down on his bottom lip, which extracted another groan from him.

Her skin was set on fire when Booth's hands disappeared under her tank top. The feeling of his warm hands roaming over her lower back was enough to melt down her last barriers.

Not breaking away from her mouth, Booth lifted her up so she could wrap her legs around him. He carried them back to the bed where he sat down with Temperance still wrapped around him. His hands disappeared further under her shirt to run his fingertips over her spine.

She moaned into his mouth. He dragged his mouth away from hers and down her throat, stimulating the fire raging in her lower body. Arching into him, she gasped his name. This only made him nibble the nip of her neck and her collar bone more feverishly.

She felt herself losing control. It was like this every time he touched her. At the beginning of their partnership, it had started with a hand on her lower back or their shoulders touching whenever they were standing around a body. Next it had evolved into placing a hand on each other's arms or playfully nudging each other. After they had started giving hugs, things had sped up. Before Temperance had been aware of what she was doing, she had been lying in her bed, listening to Booth's heartbeat. And just look where they were now!

The sudden realisation of where exactly they were, made her pull back.

"Booth..." She gasped as he caught the small spot under her jawbone where he could feel her blood pulse through her veins. "Booth, we should stop."

"Why?" he murmured against her skin.

She dragged his head away from the skin he was torturing with his rough tongue. For a moment she was sucked into the storm of desire that was clouding his eyes. "We're at your parents' house." Having said that, she clambered off him and sat down on the edge of the bed.

They stared straight ahead of them for a couple of moments until Booth broke the silence.

"So you don't want to sleep with me for the upcoming two days?" he asked, cocking his head to the side so he could take in her reaction.

Temperance frowned as she thought his words over. "Depends on what you define as 'sleeping with you'."

A chuckle escaped him. He buried his head in her neck once again to ravage her skin. He was satisfied to hear her gasp for air. One of his hands disappeared under top again to caress every square inch of her. Even though she had just pushed him away, Temperance leaned back to give him more access, all the while trying to control her rapid breathing. Soon she was lying across the bed, Booth half on top of her, pressing his lips against every tender spot he could reach.

He pulled away for a second. "I'm talking about the kind of sleeping where you moan my name and tell me how much you love me."

His mouth came down on her body again to torture her already blushing skin. Temperance softly grunted and raked her fingers through his short hair. "Oh, that kind of sleeping," she managed to say.

"Yup," was the muffled answer she got.

She pushed him off her. Booth gave her a surprised look. For maybe three seconds she listened to their heavy breathing. That, combined with her rapid pulse, was enough to make up her mind.

"Like hell I'm giving up sleeping with you for two days."

As those words fell from her lips, she straddled him and descended her mouth on his skin to return the torture he had submitted her to a few moments ago.

His hands found their way to her hips. "That's my girl."

---°---

She stared at the contents of the suitcase lying before her. She had done so for the past five minutes. Still not believing what she had seen, Temperance stormed towards the bathroom door and flung it open.

"Booth!"

She walked right in on him as he got out of the shower. Poor naked Booth just had enough time to wrap a towel around himself and wipe the water dripping from his hair out of his eyes before Temperance violently thrust a piece of clothing in his direction.

"This is a dress," she fiercely stated.

He pretended to study the thing for a moment. "Yeah, apparently it is."

"It's a _dress_..."

He gently took the dress out of her hands. "I think we've already been over that part. It's a dress, Bones. A very nice dress."

"It's a knee-length strapless dress, for Pete's sake!"

"Is this a bad time to compliment you on the improvement of your English idioms?"

"Booth, I don't wear dresses!" Temperance exclaimed, sounding a bit exasperated. "Why on earth did you pack it for me?"

"Because I thought you would look nice in it. I thought you could wear it to my mother's party."

She fell silent. Reclaiming the piece of clothing by gently tugging it out of Booth's grasp, she studied it carefully. She knew how the dress looked on her. The strapless knee-length dark red dress clung to her upper body like a second skin. Everything down from the small cream-coloured belt that went with the dress was a lot wider and loser. She remembered how the fabric swayed and twirled around her legs as she walked. It was a dress which brought out her soft, more feminine side.

Angela had made her buy it a couple of months ago when they had been on a shopping spree. The artist had made her promise to wear it on the date she had had that night but Temperance had refused to do so. Somehow it hadn't felt right. She still didn't know if she had found the dress or the occasion inappropriate. That's why she had hid it in the back of her closet.

_Booth must've stumbled across it when he was packing my suitcase._ Temperance shook her head. _And now he expects me to wear this... this... _thing _to his mother's birthday party._

"Got any other complaints about the things I packed for you?" Booth interrupted her thoughts.

"No," she replied absent-mindedly, still staring intensely at the dress in her hands. "Everything else is fine."

"Even the panties?"

This earned him a smile. She briefly looked at him, long enough to say "Even the panties." Then she cast her gaze downwards again.

Booth grinned at hearing her words. When he had been at her apartment, he had debated whether or not to pack only one kind of underwear - the kind he loved the most, the lacy ones. In the end he had taken a hand-full of them and had quickly tucked them away. He figured that she'd already be fuming about the dress he had dared to pack for her; adding only one kind of underwear would frustrate her even more. And he knew too well what frustration did with his Bones...

He placed his hands on top of hers. "Bones... Baby... That dress will look great on you. Could you please wear it? For me? As a favour?"

"Alright Booth," Temperance sighed. "I'll wear it." A triumphant smile appeared on his face. "But only on one condition."

"Just name it, Bones."

She wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Don't ever call me baby or Tempe again."

---°---

"Look who decided to join us for breakfast," Jared joked as his brother entered the kitchen with Brennan following close behind.

Booth gave him a "Haha, you're so funny" look before he greeted everyone present in the room, namely his parents, his sister and her husband, his brother and last but not least a not too tall blonde woman who was proudly standing at Jared's side. "Who's the girl, Jay?" he queried his brother, asking the exact same question Jared had thrown at him earlier.

Jared wrapped a protective arm around the woman, which was quite difficult since she barely reached his shoulder. "This is May." Booth nodded. "We've been dating for eight months now," he explained when Booth motioned him to continue.

The FBI-agent gawked at him like his brother had just grown a second head. "You? Have been dating? For eight months?!" He stared at his sibling for what seemed an eternity. "Please tell me you're kidding?" Upon receiving a shake from Jared's head, Booth rubbed the back of his neck, still not believing what he had heard. "The eternal flirt has been dating for eight months and I had no idea!"

Jared lifted one eyebrow. "Miracles do happen, Seeley. If I remember correctly, someone very close to me was complaining not so long ago about why some things take forever to happen and just look now. You've convinced her to give in to you."

"Jay..." Booth grumbled, quickly glancing at Temperance who frowned her forehead as she heard Jared's words.

"Boys," Mary Booth intervened. "Breakfast's served. If you want some, you better shut up and sit down."

Booth grinned at his partner. "This is just like in the old days, before Jared and I moved out. Mom always broke up our disagreements by threatening to take away our food."

"That must've been an effective method seeing how much you love your meals," Temperance noted with an amused smile.

Booth and Brennan took place at the large kitchen table, next to Jared and May and acrossfrom Lilly, Steven -_That must be his sister's husband_, Temperance thought- Mary and Daniel Booth. Temperance gave the last one a timid smile. She wasn't easily intimidated but there was something about this man that made her question her every move.

Yesterday evening, shortly after she, Booth and Parker had arrived, Daniel Booth -Dan for everyone he considered family- had entered the kitchen. Unlike his wife, he hadn't given Temperance a hug. He had given her a calculated stare; one she knew well enough since she used it herself whenever she was examining remains.

She had practically seen him store away the pros and cons of his first impression of her. Next he had extended his hand and had welcomed her into his house. Temperance had immediately noted that he had said 'house', not 'family'. Somehow she knew that she had to prove herself worthy of becoming a part of the Booth family in his eyes.

Maybe that was what had caused the distant look in Booth's eyes when he had talked about his father.Booth had somehow known that his father wouldn't welcome Temperance with open arms.

Booth's voice pulled her from her thoughts. He was asking where Parker was. She silenty decided to sift through the whole affair with Booth's father later on. Now it was time to have some breakfast.

"Parker is with Ben, Michelle and Clara in the living room. They've already had breakfast," Lilly said. Seeing Brennan's questioning look, she explained, "My kids. It's been a while since they've seen Seeley's son."

Temperance nodded and filed away the names of Lilly's children. She wasn't great with kids but the least she could do was try to remember their names. _I didn't see__ Lilly and Steven last night. They must've arrived this morning; just like Jared and May. _She shook her head. _Stop thinking and start eating, Temperance. _Her eyes travelled over the various things put out on the table, unravelling the mystery of Booth's endless knowledge of how to prepare a proper breakfast. Brennan smiled. _They really love their food._

Some small talk was made while everyone chewed away on their breakfast. Sounds from a television floated from the living room into the kitchen. The occasional squeal accompanied the noise; enabling it for the adults to have a calm conversation themselves since the squeals proved that their children were still present and alive.

Temperance was amazed at the ability of Lilly, Jared and the others to maintain small talk with her even though they had never met her before. Either they were professionals at making strangers feel at ease or Booth had already told them about her. This made her smile. It was flattering to know that her partner had considered her important enough to mention her to his family, even before they got together.

Suddenly Parker burst into the room. He came to a skidding stop at Booth's chair. "Daddy, are we going to the zoo today?"

"No bud, we already went last Wednesday," Booth told him as he turned around to face the little boy.

"But daddy," the four year old whined, drawing out the syllables. "I want to see the dolphins and the ele-pants and the seeleys and the monkeys again!"

"No! No monkeys!" Booth shot out. This elicited a small chuckle from Temperance. He glared at her before continuing "We can't go to the zoo, Parker. The others probably want to do something different."

Parker vigorously shook his head. "They want the zoo too, daddy! They want to hear stories from Tempe!" The lady in question gave the boy a surprised look. "I told them she was smart," Parker proudly stated. He placed his hands on Booth's thighs and gave his father the infamous puppy eyes. "Please, daddy?"

Booth sighed. He glanced around the table. "Who's up for a day at the zoo?"

---°---

The colourful group consisting of eight adults and four children made its way into the San Diego Zoo. Parker and his friends immediately wandered off to the elephants with the grown-ups in tow. Booth's parents stood at their grand-children's sides as they observed the large animals move around. Booth was joking around with his brother and Steven so it was no wonder that Temperance ended up standing near Lilly and May.

"When is the baby due?" May asked Lilly, pointing at her fairly large belly.

Lilly tenderly stroked her stomach. "I'm in my fifth month now so in about four months."

"Is it a boy or a girl?"

"We prefer not to tell everyone. We want it to be a surprise," Lilly said mysteriously.

Temperance crossed her arms in front of her chest as she mentally distanced herself from the two women. It wasn't that she didn't like children; she just didn't know how to participate in this kind of conversation. Having children was something she'd like to avoid the rest of her life. How two people could decide to bring such a vulnerable creature into this cruel world was beyond her comprehension.

Lilly and May continued exchanging stories and questions about children, either not noticing that Temperance wasn't taking part in the conversation or somehow understanding the reluctance of the anthropologist when it came to this subject. Temperance noted that May knew an awful lot about children even though she didn't have any. Before she could help herself, she had blurted her statement out.

"I'm a kindergarten teacher," May kindly explained.

Temperance inwardly cringed. _His sister's pregnant and his brother's girlfriend is a kindergarten teacher. How am I ever going to fit in with these women?_

She was saved from giving an answer by Parker, who wiggled himself through the opening between May and Lilly to get to Temperance instead of walking around the grown-ups.

"Tempe, Clara says I'm lying. She says baby ele-pants don't stay inside their mommies for 22 months but I think she's lying because you said 22 months and you're always right!" the blond-haired boy managed to get out in one breath. Parker tugged at Brennan's hand until she followed him to the small group of children. "Tell her she's lying, Tempe!"

Temperance froze when she felt the stares of four children focus on her. Handling one kid, Parker, had proven to be fairly easy, but what about four children? All her PhD's and scientific knowledge didn't cover this aspect of life! Her eyes landed on Booth's father who was giving her his calculating stare again. Somehow this whole situation felt like a test. Temperance took a deep breath. _A test. I can handle a test._ She knelt down and placed a hand on Parker's shoulder.

"Parker, you don't go around accusing people of lying. That's not very polite." Parker bowed his head in shame. "Alright, buddy?" Parker looked up with a hesitant smile.

"Okay, Tempe."

The anthropologist glanced up. _Is that a smile on Daniel's face?_ Satisfied with what she had seen, she turned back to Parker and the rest of the children to share a couple of interesting facts about elephants with them.

---°---

He was watching her. He had kept an eye on her ever since she had explained to Parker that it wasn't nice to accuse the other children of lying. Every time she knelt down to be at eye-level with the four children to share her knowledge with them, she felt his eyes follow her. Temperance didn't like to be examined, especially not by Booth's father. It made her feel uneasy and unwanted.

Even though she was certain she had caught a glimpse of approval at the beginning of their visit to the zoo, she still didn't know what he thought of her. She saw an opportunity to address him when the children were playing on the zoo's playground while the grown-ups sat down on a couple of nearby benches.

"You're studying me."

Daniel Booth lifted his eyes from his grand-children onto the anthropologist standing in front of him. He glanced at his wife who was sending him a pointed look. "Come with me," he sighed.

---°---

Booth watched them walk away, nervously rubbing his hands.

"He's going to give her the third degree," Lilly softly noted. Booth nodded. "Don't worry, Seeley. She's a strong woman; she can handle his questioning."

"It's not her I'm worried about. Knowing Bones, she'll probably grill him alive."

---°---

"You're studying me," Brennan repeated when they were out of hearing range.

Daniel sighed and put his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, I am," he admitted.

"Why?"

"To judge if you're good enough for my boy," Daniel blatantly announced.

Temperance was taken a bit aback by his honest answer. After all the scrutinizing and the distant words, his sudden openness was refreshing. As she crossed her arms, she narrowed her eyes until they were no more than small slits. _Booth's father or not, I'm not going to stand here and let him insult me by saying I'm not good enough._ Daniel stopped her from snapping at him by holding a hand up.

"Try to understand my actions, Dr. Brennan. I've raised my boy well. I never denied him my support or my love but that didn't stop him from enrolling in the army at the age of eighteen just like I did. He has seen terrible things, my boy. Things I wish he had never witnessed. It's hard for a father to see his son return from the war all broken, both physically as mentally."

The anthropologist nodded. From the few things Booth had confided her, it was clear that the war had broken part of him. It had taken him several years to build his life up again.

"Then he met Rebecca."

The gravity of his tone spiked Brennan's interest.

"I immediately knew that she wasn't right for my son. She was too..." He gestured at nothing in particular. "She was Rebecca, you know?"

Temperance nodded in agreement. She knew how hard it was to describe Parker's mother.

"She hurt my boy. She hurt him by taking away the things he holds in very high regard: marriage and family."

_Marriage and family..._ The words resonated loudly in Brennan's head. _Rebecca took away two things that matter the world to Booth, marriage and family.__Isn't that exactly what I'm doing as well?_ The muscles in her arms tightened painfully at this thought. Deciding not to let Daniel Booth in on her inner turmoil she tilted her chin upwards and gave him a brave stare.

"In that case, I might as well go back to D.C. now," Temperance stated. "I'm not about to give Booth those things. According to your words, I'm not good enough for your son; therefore my presence here isn't wanted." She turned around to go back to the rest of their group.

"Dr. Brennan," Daniel sighed. "Seeley's changed. His priorities have changed."

As she turned back to him, she gave him a questioning look. "His priorities have changed?"

Daniel nodded. "From what I have heard, he considers you and your team as his family. He takes care of your team in return for what you do for him."

Temperance raised her eyebrows. "What do I do for him then?"

"You've changed the way he looks at the world. You've made his memories of the war bearable." Daniel drew in a deep breath. "He cares a lot about you; he even loves you." Now Booth's father narrowed his eyes to intensify his stare. "And you love him back for who he is."

"I care for him, yes," Temperance agreed.

Her words made Daniel shake his head in disbelief. "You can't even bring yourself to admit your feelings for my son to me, you're not into the traditional domestic scene and he still loves you." A small smile appeared on his face. "You make him happy. That's all a father can ask for." Daniel Booth shook his head again before extending his hand. "I believe we got off on the wrong foot, Dr. Brennan. I'm Daniel Booth, but you can call me Dan. Welcome to the family."

As she shook his hand, a smile appeared on her face too. "Call me Temperance... Dan."

---°---

Booth let out a deep sigh of relief when he saw his father and Brennan shake hands.

"What the matter, Seeley? Relieved to see they haven't bitten off each other's heads?" Lilly joked.

"You have no idea," Booth replied, giving her a lop-sided grin.

Lilly studied him in silence for a few moments. "You really love her, don't you?" Upon receiving a confirming smile from her brother, she continued "I'm happy for you."

His smile grew in force as he reached out to place a warm hand on her swollen stomach. "As I am for you."

---°---

He silently entered the spare bedroom and locked the door behind him just in case someone decided to disturb them. In one hour the rest of his family would arrive for his mother's birthday party. He wanted to mentally prepare his partner for the looks his aunts, uncles, nephews and nieces were going to give her.

Booth padded across the bedroom to the bathroom where he heard her rummage around. The sound of water cascading down told him that his partner was still in the shower. For a moment he was tempted to go in and join her but that would lead to other things -very pleasant things, but that was beside the point- than a talk about his relatives.

Turning around again, he decided to sort out the clothes he was going to wear. Just when he was standing in his boxers in front of his suitcase, trying to decide what to put on, he heard the shower being turned off.

"Hey Bones, what do you think I should wear to the party?"

He could hardly control his laughter when he heard her snort through the door. "Booth, you're a grown man. Decide for yourself." The door of the bathroom flung open, revealing an auburn woman wearing a soft red set of lacy underwear. "Who do I look like? Your mother?" she huffed, placing her hands on her hips to emphasize the pointed tone of her voice.

If it could have been physically possible, Booth's jaw would've hit the floor just like in a cartoon. Her hair still damp from the shower, small drops of waters trickling down her neck onto her chest, the way her lace panties and bra hugged her forms, the smouldering glint in her eyes... It was too much to take in. "You definitely don't look like my mother."

She lifted one eyebrow. "Booth, your clothes?"

"They're fine." He gestured at the suit draped over the bed. "They're just fine."

Brennan noticed how his gaze never left her. She knew that look, that hungry all-devouring look that made her body temperature shoot up to unknown heights. When she straightened her shoulders, his eyes darkened even more. "Booth?"

He took a few steps in her direction. "I wanted to talk to you, but that can wait." He reached out to take her into his arms.

However, she took a step back. Crossing her arms under her breasts which propped them up even more and seemed to make Booth's eyes even darker with desire, she said "What do you want to talk about?"

"It's nothing, really." He brought his hands up again to encircle her waist.

"No touching until you've said what you wanted to say," she corrected him, swatting his hands away.

Booth closed his eyes in an attempt to regain control. "Bones," he grumbled. "How do you expect me to focus when you're standing there half-naked, still damp from your shower, wearing nothing more than lace?"

"Simple," she smiled. "I don't expect you to focus, I expect you to talk fast so we can get down to what we both love doing."

The FBI-agent took a few steps forward, forcing Brennan to move in the opposite direction until she was backed up against the wall. He placed one hand next to her head. "In one hour you're going to face my entire family. They're going to give you weird looks, be prepared." His other hand found its way to the other side of Brennan's head. "My mother's going to open her presents. I want you to be there with me, and not somewhere at the other side of the room." Dipping down low until his lips were a mere inch away from hers, he asked in a husked voice "Fast enough for you?"

"Definitely," she breathed before closing the distance between their mouths, crashing her lips full force against his in a passionate kiss.

Booth pressed his whole body flush against hers, making her feel every hard inch of him. Brennan moaned into his mouth as one hand travelled down to sink his fingers into her hip. He traced the lines of her panties and couldn't suppress a groan at feeling the delicate material brush against his fingertips.

Brennan bent one leg so she could put her foot against the wall. Her hips automatically tilted to get a better feel of her partner's lower body. This only resulted in Booth pressing even harder into her. Breaking away from their fierce kiss long enough to gulp in some air, Brennan groaned, "I'm going to need another shower later on, I think."

---°---

Two hours later Brennan was wading through the dense group of people packed together in the living room. She knew she had to hurry if she wanted to be with Booth as his mother opened up her presents. A smile slid over her face as she thought back to the "Well, don't you look pretty" exclamation Mary had thrown her way when the FBI-agent and the anthropologist had entered the room.

Brennan looked down at the dark red dress she was wearing, just like Booth had made her promise. His 'lady in red' he had called her, obviously referring to the popular song sung by Chris De Burgh. He had even made her dance to it with him while he had murmured the chorus into her hair. Temperance had felt like bursting out in laughter but she had refrained from doing so because she had realised that even though she found it a very cheesy gesture, it probably was something that held significance to her partner. By the end of the song, even she had to admit that she was moved, although she still marked the song as "corny and too romantic".

"Just in time, Bones," Booth whispered as she came to a stop next to him. She smiled at him while hiding her hand behind her back.

Mary opened her gifts one by one. Of course there were the classic gifts such as scented candles, books about gardening and cooking, albums from various artists and different kinds of bath salts. From her husband, Mary got a plain white envelope.

"This better not be another coupon for a free session of acupuncture," Mary quipped, referring to the disastrous gift Daniel had given her last year. Everyone laughed at the reference, except for Brennan who hadn't heard the story yet. Mary's mouth fell open when her eyes flew over the words printed on the card that had been hidden in the envelope. "A trip for two to Paris?" she gawked.

"Mom has always wanted to visit Paris," Booth explained to Temperance as they witnessed Mary throw herself at her husband, all the while whispering **"**thank you's".

Next were Lilly and Steven. Clutching her belly, Lilly smiled tenderly at her mother. "Mom, our gift is different. We've decided..." She breathed in and out slowly, reaching for her husband's hand. "We've decided to name our baby girl Mary Jane Booth, after you."

They all watched Mary's eyes water up. "Thank you," she whispered, placing a hand on top of Lilly's on her daughter's belly. Lilly gave her a tender smile.

Jared cleared his throat. "I'm afraid my gift isn't nearly as good as Lilly's but um... Well mom, on top of becoming the grandmother of Lilly's fourth child, you're soon going to be the mother-in-law of May."

Mary's mouth fell open again. "You're... You're..."

"Yeah mom, May and I are going to get married."

As her eyes welled up again, Mary launched herself forward to hug her son and her soon to be daughter-in-law. Then she sat back, wiping away a tear that had escaped her eye. "This birthday is just getting better and better."

All gazes were turned upon the last person who hadn't given his gift yet, namely Booth. Mary smiled at him. "You've already given me your gift, Seeley. You've brought me Parker."

Booth wrapped his arm around his mother. "I knew how you longed to see him again, mom."

"Right, I suppose that were all the gifts," Mary said, pulling back from Booth's embrace.

"No, I still have to give you my present," Temperance announced. Her eyebrows shot up at feeling dozens of surprised looks being pointed at her. She carefully handed Mary Booth the object she had been hiding behind her back. "Booth once mentioned you liked my books."

Booth chuckled. "Another copy of your latest book, Bones? You really like handing those things out, huh?" She sent him a glare. They were interrupted by a loud gasp.

Quickly shutting the book again before holding it close to her chest, Mary softly said "Thank you, Temperance. You couldn't have picked me a better gift."

Temperance knew she had done the right thing by giving Booth's mother the book as she caught sight of the glimmering tears of joy in her eyes and of the bright smile illuminating her face. Booth slid his arm around her shoulder and pressed his lips against her temple to thank her for not forgetting a gift for his mother. In the distance Temperance heard Parker play around with the other children.

Booth's gesture, the cheerful sounds of playing children in the background and the warmth radiating from the smiles of Booth's closest family made her lean against her partner's side. She let out a content sigh. _I was scared over nothing._

* * *

_What did I tell you? I almost choked on the fluff when I wrote this. _


	29. Week 4: Sunday

Author's note: Thank the Lord for timelines. I'm grateful for being smart enough to write down all my ideas for each chapter. Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to piece this thing here together. Sorry for the long wait. Life (and other stories) got in the way every single time I sat down to work on this chapter. I've searched forever to find the right song to support the final scene. I've marked when I believe you should put the song on. You don't have to of course, it's just something extra for those of you who are as crazy about music as I am.

I'm going to do a little shameless self-promoting here. If you're interested in other stories I've got waiting to be written/posted, my LJ is the place to be. I've decided to keep whoever is interested informed on my writing process there. It's just one click away on my profile page.

Thanks _EternalConfusion_ for the beta-job. Brilliantly done, as always!

For my reviewers: Everyone who has ever read or reviewed my story, or has put it on story alert or in their favourites list, thank you! I cannot express how grateful I am for your support. To all who reviewed the last chapter -_Aertyn, Howdylynn, Bellabun, Egyptianautumn, jaed621, Spuffyshipper, YouAndMe Kelly, brennanmars, Addictt, willgirl, I hart Booth, goldpiece, canadianagurl, muppetmadness, mereva, saz89, bones-is-love, krisnina77, Amasayda, __43n5ic fr3ak__, HolidayArmadillo, squinter, EternalConfusion, krazegirl _and_ siddika_- also a big thanks!

Disclaimer: For old time's sake, let's disclaim Bones one more time. I, niah1988, do _not _own Bones, neither its characters as anything related to it, except for this fluffy plot.

* * *

**- Week 4: Sunday -  
--------------------------------------**

"Daddy, you're not even trying!"

"Sure I am, son."

Parker giggled when his father tried to sweep him up in his arms for the umpteenth time, but missed him again within a hair's breadth. Cheering loudly, the young boy zigzagged across the beach for a couple of yards, before he came to a stop to see if Booth was following him. When he noticed his father coming towards him with large strides, his hands reaching out and a smile on his face, Parker laughed again and made a mad dash for the group of grown ups sitting a bit further along.

"Tempe, hide me!" the four year old shouted at Brennan who was sitting on a towel, knees drawn up and feet buried in the sand.

A faint smile played around her lips as Booth chased after Parker until the child crouched down behind her. She was still amazed at how fast Parker had attached himself to her. In her opinion she hadn't done anything special, yet somehow the boy had grown fond of her. There were a handful of grown ups he could have run to, but still he had chosen her. It made her feel more accepted than she had ever expected.

Booth flopped down beside her, reached out and grabbed his son. Placing him onto his lap, he said, "Gotcha, bud."

His son squiggled and squirmed until his father loosened his grip. Parker ran off again, to join the other children playing around.

The entire family had decided to go for a picnic on the beach, so that they could recover from last night's party, and could do something fun together before everyone left for home again. They had been sitting here for about three hours now. After lunch, the children had begun running around, playing games, while the grown ups talked, or entertained the children, like Booth had done a couple of minutes ago.

He had just draped an arm around her shoulders, when his mother approached them. With a small nod of her head she sent him away, leaving Temperance behind with her eyebrows nearly reaching her hairline.

Mary Booth settled down beside the anthropologist. She didn't attempt to speak for a long time. It almost seemed as if she was waiting for Temperance to make the first move. However, when Brennan opened her mouth, Mary silenced her by briefly raising her hand.

"Seeley's first girlfriend lives right next door."

Brennan's head swivelled around. "Excuse me?"

"Just thought I'd give you a head's up. Every time my son comes down, Renée suddenly appears at our front door to tiptoe around him. Only the Lord knows why."

"Why are you telling me this? Do you want me to bear down on that Renée-woman, to club her over the head, so that she will leave Booth alone?"

Now Mary turned around. A smile tugged at her lips. "Not necessarily." Mary faced the ocean again. "You've already taken care of the claiming part." At receiving nothing but silence, Booth's mother explained, "Your book; the dedication page."

"I didn't write that to claim Booth."

"Oh please," Mary retorted, slightly rolling her eyes. "A neon sign reading 'M.I.N.E.' would have been more subtle!"

Temperance was about to retort -_What is it with this family and forcing me to realise the truth by blatantly throwing it in my face?_- but Mary cut her off.

"Dan says you don't believe in marriage."

Now Brennan felt like sticking her head in the sand. Maybe then Mary would leave her alone. Yesterday she had survived the rather emotional talk with Booth's father because _she_ had been the one initiating the conversation. Now it was Mary who was the dominant party.

That's why the anthropologist resolved to a polite "No, I don't."

"When you buy a house, you want the deed to prove the house is yours, right?"

Temperance nodded. _Marriage? House? If she mentions grandchildren, I'm dragging Booth back here by his ears to let him take care of his mother._

"The same goes for marriage," Booth mother continued.

"You can't own a person. No-one's property," Temperance argued. "You're suggesting marrying someone would mean you own the person. Like a piece of real estate."

Mary shook her head. "I'm talking about the emotional part. Thanks to a piece of paper you can kick everyone's ass if they so much as look wrong at Seeley."

This made Temperance smile. "I don't need a piece of paper to kick someone's ass."

"So I have heard," Mary replied smoothly, now smiling as well. Then she turned serious. "Have you told him you love him?"

"You read the dedication page."

"I mean, actually spoken the words?"

The anthropologist quickly squeezed her eyes shut, to open them again half a minute later. "I did. Sort of."

"In the heat of the moment," Mary offered knowingly. She got another nod from Temperance. "You should try to tell him when you're not… You know… He has changed so much for you. Don't you think it's fair that you try to push yourself past your boundaries for him?"

Temperance remained silent. She didn't even bother looking at Mary. She could feel her gaze resting heavily on her. What was she supposed to say now? That's she'd immediately march over to Booth to casually say "Hey babe, I love you"? No way was she doing that!

Mary reached out to pat Brennan's shoulder. "I'll leave you to your thoughts."

She stood up and went back to her husband who was proudly filling his sons in on the details of the last bowling game he had won.

Temperance stared down at her feet, slowly pushing her heels deep into the sand. _Yes, leave me to my thoughts. Like I haven't done enough thinking in the last __few__ weeks._

She sighed deeply. This wasn't going to be an easy situation to solve. There was no running from this. One day she would have to tell Booth exactly how she felt, or else he would leave her. For both their sakes, she had to figure out a solution to this problem.

---°---

Brennan absent-mindedly took a wet plate from the small drying-frame on the counter and ran a kitchen towel over it. After dinner May and Lilly had dragged her off to the kitchen to help them do the dishes. Mary had a dishwasher that worked just fine, but apparently it was some sort of habit that with every family gathering the women did the dishes while the men went to the living room to talk amongst themselves.

_It probably is some kind of bonding ritual, _Temperance thought, _dating back to the 18th century when the women left the room to leave the men and their cigars and brandy alone._ Her inner anthropologist effortlessly analysed the situation, but made no attempt to stop Temperance from participating. She saw them asking her to tag along as a sign of approval, and was more than happy to join the other women, even though her mind was elsewhere.

At the picnic she had had a meaningful conversation with Booth's mother. Afterwards Parker had come along and had forced her to chase after him. The embarrassment of running after a four year old was still vividly present. She would probably never understand how parents could so easily forget their surroundings and act like a kid themselves to play with their children. It had been awkward, but with a hint of fun nonetheless.

Brennan cursed when she nearly dropped a plate. All her deep thinking had almost made her break one of Mary's favourite dishes. She tried to keep thoughts of Booth at bay until she had finished drying off the last plate. Then she helped putting all the dishes, glasses and cutlery away, before she marched off to the living room, fully intending to take a leap of faith.

Only the person she wanted to take that leap for wasn't present.

"Where's Seeley?" she asked Jared.

"Outside. I think he went to his regular spot."

"And where can I find this 'spot'?" Brennan probed.

Jared calmly gave her directions to what he referred to as Booth's hide-out. He also informed her, with a good waggle of his eyebrows, that it was a very secluded place. Temperance thanked him and went on her way.

---°---

_**(Cue Can't Take It In by Imogen Heap)**_

_Jared was right. This is a very secluded, but beautiful hide-out. I understand why Booth comes here,_ Temperance noted when she halted at the top of a dune.

The wind rolled over the upcoming tide and beach, wove through her hair, made her clothes flutter, and continued its path toward the boulevard that ran along the beach. Temperance felt like spreading her arms wide open and taking a deep breath to gather courage, because what she was about to do, would be the hardest challenge she had ever faced.

The anthropologist slowly descended the dune and worked her way through tall dune grass. At one point the grass stopped. A fairly large open space was revealed; and in the middle of that space she found who she had been looking for.

A large smile spread across her face, and the hairs on her arms and in her neck stood on end. Her skin all tingly, and her heart aching for him; how could she have ever been afraid of having faith?

A couple of careful steps later, she sat down beside him and mimicked his posture. Knees drawn up, hands clasped and loosely resting on her knees, and her gaze fixed on an unknown point in the distance, she sighed contently.

"It's beautiful here."

Booth nodded.

She nervously bit her bottom lip. _Here we go. It's now or never._ "I'm not someone who wants to get married."

"I know," Booth nodded, not tearing his gaze away from the magnificent view he had on the sea.

"And I'm not the kind of woman whose sole purpose in life is to become pregnant."

"I know," Booth once again nodded.

"But what I am," Brennan continued, "is head over heels in love with you."

She was sure she had never seen him turn around so fast. "Did you just say what I think you said?"

Squeezing her eyes tightly shut, she nodded. Temperance expected the world to stop turning, expected to feel her heart being ripped out of her body, all because she had spoken the words she had vowed to never say out loud, in a normal state of mind. All she felt were his hands cupping her face and his lips covering hers.

The joy that coursed through her was almost too much to take in. She had taken a plunge and had survived.

When the kiss came to an end, he let his forehead rest against hers. "I love you. I really do," Booth said, his hands running up and down her sides and shoulders, to come to a rest on her jawbone.

"I love you right up to the moon and back," she whispered.

Booth chuckled. "Who's ripping a cliché from a book now?"

"It's true though," she assured him as she turned around. For a few silent moments she gazed at him from her kneeled position. "I didn't think it was possible, but I really love you right up to the moon and back."

Her fingers lightly traced his lips that curved into a smile. "I love your smile."

Then her fingers gently stroked over his cheeks and along his jaw. "I love how smooth your skin feels under my finger tips."

Booth pulled her closer for a kiss. She mumbled against his mouth as she swung her leg over his waist, "And I certainly love the way you kiss." Capturing his lips again, she sat down and clamped her thighs firmly around his lower body.

"Temperance," he mumbled.

Brennan smiled. "I love how you say my name. No-one has ever, and will never say it like you do."

His hands found their way around her hips and pulled her tightly against him. Temperance softly caressed his features, all the while smiling at him. "But most of all, I love how you love me," she whispered right before she lured him into another lip-lock.

He chuckled as he buried his face in her neck. "You heard what I said about a week ago."

"Yes, I did."

He brought his face back up. "And you didn't run away."

"No, I didn't. I realised I would have been running away from one of the best things that has ever happened to me."

The sea continued to crash onto the beach two miles away from them, seagulls circled around above their heads, and all the pair did was stare and smile at each other. Eventually Booth pushed her flush against his chest to give her a bit of a rough, but still loving, hug.

She wrapped her arms around him, understanding he was trying to regain control of his emotions. It tugged at her heart to see, and feel, how happy she had made him. Smiling into his hair, she commanded her brain to stop working and to just revel in the intense moment they were sharing.

The last thought that crossed her mind was that in only one month she had changed irrevocably. She had come to terms with her past, had realised her feelings for her partner and had embraced them in the end.

Twenty-eight days. The transformation was complete.

Like in a vicious circle she was back at the beginning, ready for more changes.

* * *

_°sighs in content° Isn't that a nice ending? Booth got his declaration of love, Brennan realised just how much she has changed, and I've completed my first story with multiple chapters. I'm so happy I could cry. __lol_


End file.
